<div id="readability-page-1"><div><div>On Tuesday, investor Kevin O'Leary warned that President Donald Trump's new $100,000 H-1B visa fee could drive top talent abroad and stifle the creation of the next generation of American startups.<h2>O'Leary Warns Of An Innovation Exodus</h2>In a post on X, O'Leary said companies like Apple Inc. AAPL, Oracle Corp ORCL and Alphabet Inc.'s GOOG GOOGL Google — all of which started in garages — might never have taken off under today's immigration rules.He argued that Trump's new H-1B policy risks forcing promising entrepreneurs to launch businesses in other countries.&#34;I think what this does is hurt innovation long-term,&#34; the “Shark Tank” star wrote, adding that the U.S. should not spend resources training top foreign students only to &#34;kick them out.&#34;He suggested that graduates of schools like MIT and Harvard should automatically be allowed to stay in the country, marry and build companies. &#34;Why train them and kick them out?&#34; O'Leary asked.<h2>Trump Administration Defends The Policy</h2>The Trump administration announced Friday that companies would now be charged $100,000 for each H-1B visa petition, a sharp increase from current fees.Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that the charge is a one-time filing fee for new applicants, not an annual tax. Renewals and existing visa holders will not be affected.Administration officials say the move will prioritize American workers and reduce reliance on immigrant labor. They also announced a new $1 million &#34;gold card&#34; residency program for wealthy investors.<h2>Mixed Reaction From Business And Academia</h2>Andrew Ng, co-founder of Google Brain, said the policy is causing anxiety among skilled immigrants. &#34;America should be working to attract more skilled talent, not create uncertainty that turns them away,&#34; he wrote.Economist Paul Krugman also criticized the decision in his newsletter, calling it &#34;a disastrous move&#34; that could turn America's cycle of innovation into &#34;a vicious circle of decline.&#34;But not all tech voices agree. Netflix Inc. NFLX co-founder Reed Hastings supported the policy, saying higher costs would ensure H-1B visas go to the highest-value jobs, removing the need for a lottery system.In August, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick labeled it a &#34;scam&#34; that displaces American workers, while lawmakers like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Vice President JD Vance echoed calls to scale back reliance on foreign labor.<ul> <li>Microsoft Is Betting Big On A Startup That Injects Human And Animal Waste Into Rocks To Offset 14.9M Tons Of Emissions</li> </ul>Photo Courtesy: Kathy Hutchins on Shutterstock.com</div></div></div>

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Investor Kevin O'Leary criticized President Trump's new $100,000 H-1B visa fee, warning it could drive innovation abroad by pushing top talent away from the U.S. He argued that successful companies like Apple and Google might not have emerged under current immigration rules. The Trump administration defends the policy as a way to prioritize American workers, while reactions from the tech community are mixed, with some supporting the fee and others fearing it will harm the U.S. innovation landscape.

- Investor Kevin O'Leary warned that President Trump's new $100,000 H-1B visa fee could drive top talent abroad and hinder American startup innovation.  
- The Trump administration defends the policy as a means to prioritize American workers and reduce reliance on immigrant labor, while critics argue it creates uncertainty and could harm the U.S. innovation cycle.  
- Mixed reactions from the tech community include support from some, like Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, who believe it will ensure H-1B visas go to high-value jobs.  

Kevin O'Leary Says Trump's $100,000 H1B Visa Will Push Innovation Abroad, Points Out Apple, Google Started In A Garage Once