Elon Musk saw this coming. Right before Trump took office again, he clashed hard with the "MAGA crowd" over whether to tighten H-1B visas for tech workers, openly saying America desperately needs these experts. Musk feared Trump would overdo it and slam the door shut, so he sounded the alarm early.
Sadly, that warning proved true. Just last Sunday, the U.S. government announced a staggering jump in H-1B visa fees—from a baseline of $1,700 to a whopping $100,000 (about HK$780,000). It’s essentially a stealth ban designed to scare off foreign tech talent. While this only applies to new visas, foreign tech workers already in the U.S. are rattled, worried Trump's crackdown could sweep them away at any time.
A scholar friend of mine who’s lived in the States for years told me this shutdown could actually benefit Mainland China and Hong Kong by absorbing tech talent—and that Chief Executive John Lee should strike while the iron’s hot.
Why the U.S. Needs Foreign Tech Talent
Musk was dead set against limiting H-1B visas because the U.S. just doesn’t have enough homegrown tech talent. Big tech firms lean heavily on these "foreign reinforcements" — it’s vital to their business and growth. His Indian-American partner, Vivek Ramaswamy, pointed out that America has long celebrated mediocrity over excellence, which is why the country now depends so much on foreign tech workers. A heavy clampdown on these visas would be “mutually assured destruction” with serious fallout.
The loud, aggressive "MAGA camp", however, pummeled Musk and others’ views and pushed Trump toward this harsh decision. The end result? The government slammed the H-1B visa fees through, effectively shutting the door on foreign tech talent.
Trump’s visa hike scares off tech talent, stalling U.S. innovation.
Panic and Chaos Hit Tech Firms
The administration’s vague, last-minute change—announced early Monday—threw U.S. tech companies into turmoil. Firms pleaded with foreign staff to stay put, and those abroad raced home before the cutoff. Some even abandoned flights in mid-air, creating a “Dunkirk”–style exodus.
Such chaos left U.S. authorities scrambling to clarify that the fee hike only applies to new visas, doesn’t affect current visa holders, and is a one-time fee, not annual, hoping to ease the panic. But for many tech workers already in the U.S., trust has been shaken—they’re unsure when or if more changes could come and are already making backup plans.
Innovation Takes a Hit
Even if current workers are safe, this huge fee hike will definitely scare off foreign talents thinking of coming to the U.S., hitting tech firms hard.
A venture capitalist partner said this will weaken America’s ability to attract world-class talent, limiting innovation and economic growth. Industry insiders warn some companies might outsource jobs abroad, further diminishing the U.S.’s status as a global tech leader.
This new U.S. policy doesn’t just hit tech workers—it also shakes the confidence of Mainland and Hong Kong students thinking about studying in America. A recent Canadian education survey showed the U.S. has fallen to third place as the most attractive study destination for foreign students, behind the UK first and Canada second. When it comes to openness, safety, and welcoming attitudes, the U.S. dropped to sixth place, dead last in the ranking.
Clearly America’s appeal to international students is fading fast. The new visa fees only add to doubts about future job prospects, meaning fewer students will pick the U.S. anymore.
John Lee’s chance: Hong Kong’s moment to snatch top talent.
Hong Kong Stands to Gain
Trump seems unfazed by these downsides and looks set to keep pushing ahead recklessly. My scholar friend argues this is a huge win for Mainland China and Hong Kong, which are hungry for tech talent. Some who can’t stomach going to the U.S. anymore might head there instead, and unsettled tech workers already in the States could decide to come home. Chief Executive John Lee announced in his policy address a series of measures to attract foreign talent, and my friend thinks this is the perfect moment for Hong Kong to compete—and win.
Like I said before, Hong Kong’s entering a golden era and keeps getting better. With America shooting itself in the foot, now’s the perfect time for Hong Kong to steal the spotlight and attract top talent.
Lai Ting-yiu
What Say You?
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
Today, December 7, marks the second election since the Legislative Council finally got back on track. Today, I can’t shake the memory of how a "deformed democracy" ravaged this chamber for years. It was a malignancy—a tumor growing from within—that trapped us in endless chaos and nearly destroyed Hong Kong. This nightmare remains burned into my mind.
Let’s look at the receipts from those insane years. Three absurd realities prove how a tidal wave of radicalism washed away a functioning Council. First, post-"Occupy Central," a crop of "political stars" rode a wave of extremism to besiege LegCo, degrading election quality for years. Second, during the "Black Violence" era, District Councils devolved into a "destroyers' paradise" of unprecedented disorder. Third, to appease radical voters, Pan-democrats hijacked the House Committee election for six months, paralyzing governance. The Council became an endangered structure on the verge of collapse, dragging government operations down with it. Without the Central Government stepping in to restore order, Hong Kong was finished. To stop history from repeating, everyone needs to vote on December 7.
The truth is, this "deformed democracy" was rotting the soil of Hong Kong politics long before "Occupy Central." The British government deliberately planted "election landmines," allowing politicians using unorthodox methods to rise. They realized the game: be radical, be outrageous, be uncouth, and you get votes. Figures like Wong Yuk-man, Albert Chan, and "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung seized power this way. Once that door opened, the Council’s normal operations were destroyed, turning the chamber into a mud-wrestling pit.
That was just the prelude. The subversion peaked with the 6th Legislative Council election following the 2014 "Occupy Central" movement. Driven by a passion for "rebellion," masses of young people blindly voted for fresh faces who built their brands on radicalism, ignoring their complete lack of ability or track record. The result? First-time winners included "Localist" figures dripping with "Hong Kong Independence" sentiment like Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching, alongside "Occupy" student leader Nathan Law.
Oath-Taking Circus: Post-"Occupy" radicals Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching stormed the chamber advocating independence, turning solemn oaths into a disgraceful farce.
The "Open House" of Radical Chaos
Worse still, opportunists within the Pan-democrat camp saw this worked and jumped into the fray. The prime examples were the notoriously "uncouth and aggressive" Ted Hui and the self-proclaimed radical environmentalist Eddie Chu.
When Baggio Leung, Yau Wai-ching, and Nathan Law stormed the Council, political insiders told me the candidacy door had been flung too wide. It became an "unguarded open house"—easy to enter, hard to clear out—guaranteeing chaos. Fortunately, their greed for victory blinded them to the risks. They played games with their inaugural oaths, effectively playing themselves into a corner and getting disqualified (DQ).
Even after they were ousted, the "miracle" of their election accelerated the degradation of our politics. Fanatical voters continued to back incompetent politicians just to vent rebellious angst. Even younger members of the traditional Pan-democrats started acting out to cater to this new taste. Ted Hui is the textbook example: violently snatching a female civil servant's phone and throwing foul-smelling filth in the Chamber. It became a competition of who could be the most radical, obstructing bills and making livelihood administration nearly impossible.
By 2019, when the anti-extradition bill unrest broke out, the Council became a disaster zone. Then came the second absurdity. During the November District Council elections, held amidst turmoil, radical candidates swarmed to grab seats. At the same time, "black-clad people" physically attacked Establishment opponents with beatings, arson, and intimidation. They won the majority, reducing the District Councils to a "destroyers' paradise." Long-serving community councilors were wiped out, marking an unprecedented and unbearable degradation of our institutions.
Filth in the Chamber: "Uncouth" politician Ted Hui proved his disruptive intent by literally throwing foul-smelling rot during a Council meeting.
Paralyzing the System From Within
Inside LegCo, Pan-democrats brought the street riots into the Chamber, competing to perform "radical shows." The most absurd spectacle was Civic Party member Dennis Kwok holding the House Committee Chairman election hostage. He "played games" for over half a year. Sixteen meetings passed without electing a chairman, blocking massive amounts of government bills. Forced by the situation, even moderate Pan-democrats joined the madness, turning the Chamber into a real-life version of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
Recently, some claim the reformed Legislative Council has lost its monitoring function. This is 100% a fallacy. The Council back then was thoroughly wrecked; normal operations were paralyzed. What monitoring was there? Government administration was dragged down, pushing us to the brink of "mutual destruction" (laam caau).
Thankfully, the Central Government stepped in at the critical moment to pull the Council back on the right track. If "deformed democracy" had continued, Hong Kong would have derailed and fallen off a cliff, destroyed in a single day.
To prevent this painful history from repeating, everyone must vote enthusiastically on December 7. Support the Legislative Council moving forward on the correct track.
Lai Ting-yiu
