NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Urges US to Ease Immigration Rules to Attract Global Tech Talent

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has urged the United States to remain open to skilled immigrants, arguing that attracting talented people from around the world is essential to the country’s innovation and technology leadership. Speaking on the BG2 podcast, Huang said the US should welcome talented researchers, entrepreneurs and builders who want to develop new ideas and businesses.

Huang emphasised that immigration must be lawful and properly managed, but argued that America’s ability to attract global talent is one of its biggest competitive advantages. His comments come amid tighter immigration policies under the Trump administration, including a suspension of permanent labour certification processing for several major technology companies. The debate has implications for the US technology industry, which relies on international workers across artificial intelligence, semiconductors, software and research.

Key Takeaways

• NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says the US should continue attracting talented people from around the world.
• He described global talent and the flow of ideas as important drivers of American innovation.
• Huang stressed that immigration must take place lawfully and within an appropriate regulatory framework.
• His comments came during an appearance on investor Brad Gerstner’s BG2 podcast.
• The remarks follow US government action suspending several technology companies from the PERM labour certification programme.
• The affected companies include Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Cognizant, among others.
• Huang’s position highlights the technology industry’s dependence on international talent.

Jensen Huang Says Global Talent Is an American Advantage

During the BG2 podcast discussion, Huang argued that the US benefits from attracting researchers, entrepreneurs and skilled professionals from other countries.

He said the country should allow talented people to bring their ideas to America and turn them into businesses, inventions and technologies.

Huang described the movement of intellectual property and ideas into the US as an important source of the country’s innovation strength.

He also pointed to the country’s entrepreneurial culture, saying that its willingness to attempt ambitious projects helps attract people who want to build new products and companies.

His argument is that technology leadership depends not only on domestic research and investment but also on the ability to attract people with specialised knowledge and different perspectives.

However, Huang did not argue for unrestricted immigration. He acknowledged that immigration requires rules and a balance between competing considerations.

His position was that the US should preserve lawful pathways for talented people while maintaining an immigration system that operates properly.

Huang’s Personal Immigration Journey Shapes His Views

Huang’s comments also draw on his own experience as an immigrant.

Born in Taiwan, he spent part of his childhood in Thailand before moving to the United States. He arrived in the country before his parents, who joined him several years later.

His personal journey has influenced his public comments about immigration and opportunity.

Huang has frequently highlighted the role that the US environment played in allowing him to build NVIDIA into one of the world’s most influential semiconductor companies.

NVIDIA was founded in 1993 by Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem. The company initially focused on graphics processing technology and later became a central supplier of computing hardware for artificial intelligence.

Its GPUs are widely used to train and operate AI models, making NVIDIA a major participant in the global technology industry’s expansion.

Huang’s argument is that the same environment that helped entrepreneurs and engineers build companies should continue attracting talented people from around the world.

US Immigration Restrictions Create Uncertainty for Technology Companies

Huang’s remarks come as the Trump administration has increased scrutiny of employment-based immigration programmes.

In October 2026, the US government suspended Microsoft, Adobe and several technology services companies from the Permanent Labour Certification programme, commonly known as PERM.

The programme is an important step in many employer-sponsored employment-based green card applications. It generally requires employers to demonstrate that hiring a foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed US workers.

The companies named in the suspension included:

• Microsoft
• Adobe
• Cognizant
• Infosys
• Tata Consultancy Services
• Wipro
• HCL Technologies
• Capgemini

US officials said the action was intended to address alleged misuse of the labour certification system and protect American workers.

Vice President JD Vance accused some companies of using immigration programmes in ways that disadvantage domestic employees. The companies’ inclusion in the suspension does not, by itself, establish that every employer or individual application involved wrongdoing.

The suspension creates uncertainty for affected employers and foreign professionals whose permanent residency applications depend on the PERM process.

It is also important to distinguish between different immigration routes. PERM is a labour certification process associated with many employment-based green card applications. It is not the same as the H-1B temporary skilled-worker visa programme.

Why Immigration Matters to the US AI and Semiconductor Industry

The technology sector depends on specialised workers across several fields, including:

• Artificial intelligence research and engineering.
• Semiconductor design and manufacturing.
• Cloud computing and data-centre infrastructure.
• Cybersecurity and software development.
• Robotics and advanced computing.
• Scientific research and university innovation.

These industries require skills that can be difficult to recruit at scale.

Companies such as NVIDIA compete internationally for engineers, researchers and specialists who can develop advanced chips, software platforms and AI systems.

Restricting access to international talent could make recruitment more complicated for businesses that rely on global hiring. However, the impact depends on the specific immigration programmes affected, the availability of domestic workers and the ability of companies to recruit talent through other routes.

The debate is not limited to technology companies. Universities, research laboratories, startups and other employers also use immigration pathways to recruit specialists.

For the US, the policy question involves balancing opportunities for domestic workers with the needs of businesses and research institutions seeking specialised skills.

The Debate Between Protecting Domestic Workers and Attracting Skilled Immigrants

US immigration policy involves competing economic and political considerations.

Supporters of tighter employment-based immigration rules argue that employers should prioritise domestic workers and that visa programmes must not be used to reduce wages or replace American employees.

Technology companies and industry advocates, meanwhile, argue that international recruitment helps fill specialised roles, supports research and allows businesses to expand in the United States.

Huang’s comments place emphasis on the second argument: attracting international talent can strengthen the country’s ability to develop new technologies and businesses.

His position also recognises that immigration must operate through lawful processes.

The broader debate therefore concerns how the US can maintain access to global talent while ensuring that employment-based immigration programmes protect domestic workers and follow established rules.

What Huang’s Comments Mean for NVIDIA

NVIDIA’s business is closely connected to the global competition for AI and semiconductor talent.

The company is expanding its technology portfolio across GPUs, networking, AI computing systems, software and data-centre infrastructure.

Its ability to recruit and retain specialised engineers and researchers is an important part of maintaining its development pace.

Huang’s comments signal that NVIDIA’s leadership sees access to international talent as a wider technology competitiveness issue, not simply a hiring preference.

The practical impact of immigration restrictions on NVIDIA will depend on which programmes are affected and whether the company can continue recruiting through available legal pathways.

His comments also reflect a broader concern among technology leaders that immigration policy can influence where research, startups and high-value technology businesses are developed.

The Bigger Picture

The debate over skilled immigration is becoming increasingly important as the US competes with other countries in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and advanced computing. Companies developing these technologies need specialised workers, and international recruitment has long been part of the US technology ecosystem. Huang’s comments highlight the argument that attracting global talent can support research, entrepreneurship and intellectual property creation.

At the same time, immigration programmes must address concerns about worker protection, wages and fair recruitment practices. The US government’s suspension of PERM processing for several technology companies shows that enforcement and scrutiny are also central to the debate. The challenge for policymakers is to balance these concerns while providing businesses and skilled professionals with clear, predictable legal pathways.

Looking Ahead

The impact of the latest immigration restrictions will become clearer as the US government determines how long the suspensions will remain in place and how affected companies can address the concerns raised by officials. Technology employers will be watching for further guidance on PERM applications, H-1B visas and other employment-based immigration routes. Any changes could influence recruitment strategies, employee mobility and the ability of companies to retain international specialists.

For NVIDIA and the wider technology industry, the availability of skilled workers will remain an important part of the competition to develop AI and semiconductor technologies. Huang’s remarks underline the importance he places on maintaining access to global talent, but the outcome will depend on policy decisions and the practical operation of the immigration system. The debate is likely to continue as the US weighs domestic employment priorities against its ambition to remain a centre for technological innovation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What did NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang say about US immigration?

Jensen Huang said the US should continue attracting talented people from around the world because international researchers, entrepreneurs and engineers contribute to innovation and economic growth. He also stressed that immigration must be lawful.

2. Where did Jensen Huang make these comments?

Huang discussed immigration during an appearance on the BG2 podcast hosted by investor Brad Gerstner.

3. Why does Jensen Huang support skilled immigration?

Huang believes that attracting global talent helps the US develop new technologies, create intellectual property, establish businesses and maintain its position in the global technology industry.

4. Which technology companies faced the US PERM suspension?

The companies named in the October 2026 action included Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini.

5. What is the PERM programme?

PERM stands for Permanent Labour Certification. It is a US Department of Labor process used in many employer-sponsored employment-based green card applications. Employers generally must demonstrate that hiring a foreign worker will not adversely affect similarly employed US workers.

6. Is PERM the same as an H-1B visa?

No. H-1B is a temporary visa category for certain skilled workers. PERM is a labour certification process associated with many employment-based permanent residency applications. They serve different purposes.

7. How could immigration restrictions affect the US technology industry?

Restrictions could make it more difficult for some companies to recruit or retain international specialists in areas such as AI, semiconductors, software and research. The actual impact will depend on the programmes affected and the availability of alternative hiring pathways.