On September 26, 2025, Concord & Sage Attorneys actively participated in the online seminar “Talent or Capital: Two Paths Under Trump’s New Immigration Policy” hosted by the San Diego Chinese Attorneys Association (SDCAA). The event, held via Zoom, was moderated by Attorney Qin Li, Managing Partner of Concord & Sage and Secretary of SDCAA, and featured Attorney Yan Gao as the keynote speaker. The seminar drew a wide audience, including international students, professionals, employers, and immigrant families, and generated vibrant discussion throughout.

The seminar focused on two major immigration policy changes recently introduced by the Trump administration. The first involves sweeping reforms to the H-1B visa program: in addition to a new $100,000 fee for employers filing new H-1B petitions, the policy explicitly links applicants’ salary levels to their lottery selection chances — meaning higher salaries will result in significantly greater selection odds, while lower-paying roles will face reduced chances. This change will have far-reaching consequences for hiring strategies, employee career planning, and the overall visa landscape. The second major policy is the proposed “Gold Card” donation-based immigration pathway, allowing individuals to fast-track permanent residency through a $1 million donation, or $2 million for corporate applicants, providing a new route for financially capable candidates.

Attorney Gao analyzed the implications of the new policies from three perspectives: employers, employees, and individual applicants, and offered practical guidance for each group. She noted that the new H-1B fee significantly increases the cost of hiring foreign talent and may reshape employment strategies, while the “Gold Card” pathway offers a faster route to residency but carries legal uncertainties and potential policy risks that require careful evaluation.

During the interactive Q&A session, the discussion was lively and in-depth, with participants raising a wide range of practical questions on topics such as the new linkage between salary levels and H-1B lottery chances, how part-time positions may affect wage classification, the substantive differences between company and individual applications under the “Gold Card” donation program, and how existing immigration applications might align with or be reconsidered in light of the new policies. Attorney Gao addressed these questions comprehensively, offering actionable guidance on how employers and employees can adapt to rising costs and changing strategies, as well as insightful analysis on the strengths, limitations, and suitability of different immigration pathways.

As part of SDCAA’s ongoing Community Legal Seminar Series, this event aimed to deliver timely updates and practical legal insights on U.S. immigration policy to the Chinese community. SDCAA announced that it will continue hosting seminars on immigration, visas, taxation, corporate compliance, and more — providing professional support to help individuals and businesses make informed decisions in a rapidly changing policy environment.