‘Just wrong’: What US commerce secy Lutnick said on H1-B visa and ‘inexpensive tech consultants’
Howard Lutnick questioned the lottery-system of the H1-B visa and hinted that there are talks going about whether the lottery-system should be there or not.
United States commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said on Monday that by the time the $100,00 fee on H1-B visas come into effect in February, 2026, he “guesses” that there will be “significant number of changes” between now and then.
While talking about the H1-B visas and what potential changes could the visa process go through during his interview with NewsNation, Lutnick expressed his disapproval of letting "inexpensive tech consultants” into the country and said that he hopes more doctors or educators could come in through the process.
Lutnick also questioned the lottery-system of the H1-B visa and hinted that there are talks going about whether the lottery-system should be there or not.
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What exactly did Howard Lutnick say on H1-B visa?
When asked to clarify whether the $100,000 fee on the H1-B visa was yearly or one-time and whether it will only apply to new applicants or existing visa holders too, Lutnick hinted that there are going to a several changes in the H1-B visa process by February 2026.
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“This procedure and process goes into effect in February 2026. My guess is going to be there are going to be a significant number of changes between now and 2026. As of right now, it is going to be a one time fee of $100,000,” he said.
“This H1-B is a lottery. Yesterday, I talked to the heads of two of the top five tech companies in the world and they said doing a lottery for skilled workers coming into America is bizarre. I mean why when you’re trying to take in skilled workers would you do it by a lottery? That just does not make any sense. So everyone agrees that the process that was set up in the 1990 and sort of butchered along the way needs to change,” he added.
The US commerce secretary also said that there are going to be a variety of "thoughtful" changes. “They’re talking about the changes. How to get the lottery? Should it still be a lottery? But that will all be resolved by February,” he said.
Expressing his reservations about tech consultants getting the H1-B visa, Lutnick said that it “sits wrong” with him and that if engineers are to be hired through the program, they should be “highly-paid” ones and not the “inexpensive” tech consultants “bringing their families”.
“I think the H1-B lottery needs to be fixed. Right? I think we should only give jobs, highly skilled jobs to the most highly skilled people. Doctors should be able to come in, educators who are highly skilled and have high degrees. Of course, these people should be able to come in. And if you want to hire engineers, you should hire highly paid ones. The idea of having tech consultants and trainees who are inexpensive should be eliminated,” he said.
“This idea that inexpensive tech consultants should be coming into this country and bringing their families, I find it just wrong. It sits wrong with me”.
