Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Calls Immigration a Tech Edge Amid H-1B Curbs

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is urging the United States to remain open to international talent, arguing that attracting leading researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs is one of the country’s greatest competitive advantages.

Speaking on an October 15, 2026 episode of the BG2 podcast, Huang said the United States benefits when talented people bring their ideas and build their lives in the country. His comments came one week after President Donald Trump presented Huang with the National Medal of Science for his contributions to computing and semiconductor technology. (youtube.com)

For F-1 students, OPT workers and H-1B professionals, Huang’s remarks highlight continuing employer demand for international STEM talent. However, they do not change any immigration rule or provide a new visa pathway.

What Jensen Huang Said About Immigration

Huang described America’s ability to attract international talent as a national “superpower.” He connected that talent flow to the country’s culture of entrepreneurship, invention and willingness to pursue ambitious ideas.

“We want all the world’s great minds to come here,” Huang said, while also emphasizing lawful immigration.

His position is especially notable because Huang has generally maintained a positive relationship with the Trump administration. On October 8, the White House awarded him the National Medal of Science for advancing graphics processing units into a broader computing architecture that supports scientific computing and artificial intelligence. (ceointerviews.ai)

Huang’s remarks therefore were not a broad political attack on the administration. Instead, they presented a competing argument about skilled immigration: that maintaining U.S. technology leadership requires the country to continue attracting highly qualified people from abroad.

Huang’s Comments Contrast With Recent H-1B Restrictions

The Trump administration has taken a more restrictive approach to employment-based immigration, including the H-1B program used by U.S. employers to hire professionals in specialty occupations.

On September 18, 2026, President Trump extended a proclamation that seeks to require a $100,000 employer payment for certain H-1B cases involving workers outside the United States. The extended policy is scheduled to remain on the books through September 21, 2027. (whitehouse.gov)

However, the $100,000 payment is not currently being enforced as of October 16, 2026. Federal courts have blocked the agency policies implementing it, and the government filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on October 9. Students and employers can review Day1CPT.org’s coverage of the extended H-1B fee policy and continuing court block. (docs.justia.com)

The administration has also increased scrutiny of employers that sponsor foreign workers. On October 8, the Department of Labor suspended Microsoft, Adobe and six IT services companies from the Permanent Labor Certification Program, commonly called PERM.

That action affects a common employer-sponsored green card process, not the H-1B program itself. It does not automatically cancel existing H-1B status or stop an affected company from filing all H-1B petitions. Read more about the PERM suspensions affecting eight technology employers. (whitehouse.gov)

What This Means for F-1, OPT and H-1B Workers

Huang’s statement does not create an immediate immigration benefit, but it illustrates several important realities for international students and professionals.

First, major technology employers still view access to global talent as strategically important. Skills in artificial intelligence, semiconductor engineering, data science and advanced computing remain valuable, even as immigration sponsorship becomes more expensive and closely regulated.

Second, industry support does not protect an individual worker from current immigration requirements. F-1 students must still maintain their student status, obtain proper Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT) authorization and comply with applicable employment restrictions.

Third, temporary work authorization and permanent residence must be considered separately. An employer may be able to sponsor or continue employing someone in H-1B status while being unable to move forward with a PERM application. Students evaluating job offers should ask distinct questions about:

• OPT or STEM OPT participation;
• H-1B sponsorship;
• H-1B wage level and selection strategy;
• Employment-based green card sponsorship; and
• The employer’s expected immigration timeline.

The FY 2027 H-1B cap season also uses a wage-level-weighted selection process, giving registrations connected to higher federal wage levels more weight. Recent graduates can review how wage-weighted H-1B selection affects F-1 and OPT candidates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Jensen Huang’s comments change U.S. immigration policy?

No. Huang was expressing his personal and business-policy perspective. Immigration rules can be changed only through actions such as legislation, agency rulemaking, presidential action, government guidance or court decisions.

Is the $100,000 H-1B payment currently required?

No. As of October 16, 2026, federal court orders prevent agencies from enforcing the policies implementing the $100,000 payment. The administration has extended the underlying proclamation through September 21, 2027 and is appealing the court decisions, so employers should verify the current requirements before filing.

Does the PERM suspension stop affected companies from sponsoring H-1B workers?

Not directly. The October 8 suspension targets PERM labor certification, which is generally part of the employment-based green card process. It is not a blanket H-1B suspension. However, affected employees may experience delays or uncertainty in their permanent residence cases.

Do Huang’s comments affect CPT, OPT or STEM OPT?

No. The comments do not change CPT, OPT or STEM OPT rules. Students must continue following their school’s requirements and applicable Department of Homeland Security regulations. Individual questions about status or employment authorization should be discussed with a designated school official, an employer’s immigration team or a qualified immigration attorney.

Sources:

• BG2 Podcast — Jensen Huang: Does AI Revenue Justify Capex, 2027 AI Bottlenecks, Singularity, Open vs. Closed and More
• Business Insider — Breaking With Trump, Jensen Huang Makes the Case for Immigration
• White House — President Trump Presents National Medals of Science and Technology
• White House — 2026 Restriction on Entry of Certain H-1B Workers
• U.S. District Court — Global Nurse Force v. Trump, September 30, 2026 Order
• White House — October 8, 2026 Press Conference on Visa Fraud