‘Green card holder makes…’: US commerce secretary claims immigrants earn one-third less than Americans as Trump launches ‘gold card’ scheme

US President Donald Trump unveiled a new million-dollar “gold card” immigration scheme, with his administration arguing that America must stop admitting “below-average” immigrants and instead prioritise high-earning, highly skilled applicants.

Announcing the programme at the White House, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick claimed the existing system brings in immigrants who earn far less than US-born workers. “The average Green Card holder in America makes 1/3 less than the average American. We should be bringing in the best and the brightest—and that's what POTUS is changing about our immigration system,” he said.


Trump revealed that applications for the new gold card had opened through a government website. The scheme offers legal residency and a pathway to citizenship for individuals who pay $1 million and for corporations willing to pay $2 million dollars per foreign employee. He said all revenue would “go to the US government” and predicted that the programme would bring in billions to a Treasury account “where we can do things positive for the country.”

The US president described the card as a more powerful version of a green card. “Basically, it's a green card but much better. Much more powerful, a much stronger path,” he said, adding that he wanted to help US companies retain “outstanding graduates” from top American universities who currently struggle to stay in the country after completing their studies. “You can't hire people from the best colleges because you don't know whether or not you can keep the person,” he said.

The gold card is designed to replace the EB-5 visa scheme, created in 1990, which required around $1 million in investment and the creation of at least 10 jobs. Trump did not address job-creation requirements or any programme caps. Lutnick said each applicant would pay $15,000 for vetting, promising a rigorous background check to “make sure these people absolutely qualify to be in America.”

He added that Trump wanted to shift the system away from “below-average” entrants. “So, same visas, but now just full of the best people,” he said.

More than two dozen countries offer similar investor visas. Trump said the United States would now compete for top global talent, with graduates from China, India and France. “The companies are going to be very happy,” he said.