Do you think DEI is dead? Enter the H-1B Visa and Elon Musk’s ‘War’

Elon Musk’s latest post on X sent a strong message to his followers and to his detractors. He said he is willing to go to “war”.

What “war” you ask?

The war over the ability to hire and bring immigrants into the United States through the H-1B visa program.

At a time when the US immigration conversation is heating up in the press and on Capitol Hill, the public has been almost single-mindedly focused on border policies. But now a new perspective has come into the spotlight: the importance of immigration to American companies. More specifically, big business.

Companies, especially those in Silicon Valley, have been engaged in a long-running battle for the ability to hire more foreign-born workers in the United States through the acquisition of H-1B visas.

What is the H-1B Visa?

The H-1B visa The program is designed to allow employers to hire foreign-born specialists for occupations in the United States. These occupations must require special knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree. The visas are typically valid for three years, although they can be extended for up to six years.

The number of H-1B visas that can be granted annually is limited to 85,000. In 2020, the most recent year on record, the number of people applying for one of these coveted visas was 421,276. Applicants are selected by a lottery system that often denies qualified candidates due to chance.

In it latest data72% of recipients came from India, with the second most common country of origin being China, with almost 12% of recipients. In Silicon Valley are the best companies in technology – Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Apple – too top H-1B employers.

Because this program provides “nonimmigrant status,” it is not a path to permanent residency—although some recipients use a gray area to get around or circumvent the terms. And it is possible that Elon Musk himself was one of them.

Elon Musk is living proof of why diversity programs work

Elon Musk’s “war” is personal.

He built his ideas, his businesses, his American empire while here on an immigration visa.

Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk obtained Canadian citizenship through his mother before moving to the United States in 1992 to study at the University of Pennsylvania.

His claims that H-1B visas are essential because American culture and education do not prioritize success in science and engineering careers compared to other countries are not sitting well with everyone — especially those who want a more “America First” policy .

Where is all this going? The question boils down to one question: Should these high-skilled, well-paying careers in technology be opened up to foreign-born nationals, or should these roles be filled with homegrown talent?

In a true meritocracy where merit supersedes all else, the H-1B visa program should not be conducted by lottery or limited to a quota. If we strive for full meritocracy in our systems, then the goal should be to create a more level playing field for the best available candidate. And progress in that area can be made by creating programs that include those who wouldn’t normally have a chance, allowing them to enter. And as we look at the results of programs like these, let’s not ignore that the H -1B visa program exemplifies diversity, equity, and inclusion.

DEI is not always about race or gender. It’s about difference. And difference is a superpower if you know how to use it.

Perhaps this “war” will help shed light on the fact that those who look different, speak with an accent or come from a different culture may be the best people for the job – based on merit.