Musk defends H1-B visa, says talented Indians have a hand in America's development:

News Topical, Digital Desk : SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has defended the H-1B visa program, saying that Indian talent has greatly benefited the US economy, meaning talented Indians have a hand in America's prosperity.

He warned that ending this visa program would be "really bad" for the US. In a podcast released on Sunday, Musk said the US needs India's highly skilled professionals now more than ever. He also said his companies consistently have difficulty filling specialized positions because there is a constant shortage of talented people.

He also acknowledged the flaws in the H-1B program and said that some outsourcing companies have gamed the system. But instead of calling for a complete shutdown of the program, he called for reforms to stop the system from being gamed.

He said he disagrees with the idea of ending the H-1B visa program. Those who support it don't realize that it would actually be very bad for the United States. Musk's comments come as the United States has launched a major crackdown to prevent misuse of the H-1B visa program.

In September, President Donald Trump announced a one-time fee of $100,000 for new H-1B visas. Musk linked the ongoing debate over immigration to policy failures, saying the previous government's (Biden administration's) approach was to make the border completely accessible to everyone without any controls.

This encouraged illegal immigration. This is how criminals enter the country. If you don't have border control, you're not a country. Stressing the need for border control, he said that if there were significant financial benefits to coming to the US illegally, people would definitely come.

Asked for advice for Indian entrepreneurs, Musk said he respects anyone who wants to make more than they take. "I'm a big fan of anyone who wants to build something. So I think anyone who wants to make more than they take earns my respect," he said.

Responding to a question, Musk said, "I predict that in less than 20 years, working will become optional, almost like a hobby." He explained that with rapid advances in AI and robotics, people could reach a point where they can choose whether to work or not, just like choosing whether to grow vegetables at home despite having the option of buying them from the store.