WASHINGTON– Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has reassured employees that the company will continue to sponsor H-1B visas and cover all associated costs, even as the U.S. government tightens restrictions on the program.
According to a Business Insider report, Huang wrote to Nvidia staff emphasizing that immigration has been central to the company’s success. “As one of many immigrants at Nvidia, I know that the opportunities we’ve found in America have profoundly shaped our lives,” Huang said in his message. “The miracle of Nvidia—built by all of you, and by brilliant colleagues around the world—would not be possible without immigration.”
Huang underscored that “legal immigration remains essential to ensuring the U.S. continues to lead in technology and ideas,” and added that Nvidia’s workforce reflects the strength of global talent. “At Nvidia, we built our company with extraordinary people from around the world, and we will continue to sponsor H-1B applicants and cover all associated fees,” he said, inviting employees with visa-related concerns to contact the company’s immigration department.
His comments come amid a sweeping crackdown by the Trump administration on work visa programs. On September 19, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing new restrictions on the H-1B system, including a $100,000 application fee for sponsoring employers. The administration said the move was intended to encourage the hiring of American workers.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the policy, saying it would make hiring foreign professionals economically unviable. “No more will these big tech companies or other big companies train foreign workers. They have to pay the government $100,000, then they have to pay the employee. So it’s just not economic,” Lutnick said.
The decision has sparked a wave of backlash from business groups, universities, and advocacy organizations. Earlier this month, a coalition of unions, education professionals, and religious groups filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of California challenging the proclamation. The suit called the fee “unprecedented, unjustified, and unlawful,” arguing that the President “has no authority to unilaterally alter the comprehensive statutory scheme created by Congress.” The complaint also warned that the order’s selective exemptions “open the door to corruption and arbitrary enforcement.”
For now, Nvidia’s stance sets it apart from other major tech companies weighing their response to the policy. By pledging continued support for foreign talent, the chipmaker is reaffirming its commitment to global collaboration — and to the immigrant innovators who helped build its foundation. (Source: IANS)
