Elon Musk Joins The H-1B Debate With a Controversial Remark: Americans Can’t Do Challenging Physical Work

In the boiling cauldron of H-1B, Elon Musk adds his latest spice. In a controversial remark, he voiced that there is a dearth of individuals in America who are capable of performing demanding physical labour. His remark additionally emphasizes that the Americans are often unwilling to undergo specialised training for such roles.

Musk voiced these concerns in response to the Ford CEO Jim Farley’s recent alarm that the company is under difficult weather, filling the 5000 mechanic positions due to a lack of skilled candidates. However, the wider background in which Musk’s response came is worthy of note.

Here, as always, our EB-1A green card consultancy has presented a full analysis of this important piece of debate.

The wider context and controversy about the H-1B visa

We have recently heard U.S. President Donald Trump speaking to Fox News about how certain talents are scarce in the U.S. He cited this as a reason why his administration will not terminate the H-1B visa program. This has stirred the already heated pot of controversy regarding the H-1B visa. There is a clear split within the Trump administration regarding opinions about the H-1B visa.

Curiously enough, Musk’s recent comment reverberates Trump’s sentiment once again.

What exactly did Musk say?

In a post on X that shared the Ford CEO’s remark on unfilled mechanic jobs, Musk commented the following: ‘America has a major shortage of people who can do challenging physical work or who even train to do so.’ Below is a screenshot of the X post and Musk’s comment.

Musk’s remark immediately stirred controversy and caused a lot of social media backlash. Social media users pointed out that Musk’s statement exudes a stereotype of underestimating Americans. The critics added that this comment reflects the mindset of CEOs who deprived Americans of white collar roles and instead chose to hire foreign employees. Likewise, the critics believe, the advocates of H-1B are now extending the same argument to more physical labor.

It is possible to discern the backlash and the voice of criticism in the following comment by an X user:

“You’re wrong. My white 22-yr-old son has been begging for this kind of work for the past 6 months. Nobody will give him an apprenticeship or entry level job in Dallas. He is about to finish trade school and has applied for hundreds and hundreds of jobs, even jobs that aren’t something in his trade. Can’t even get an interview with Walmart. He is intelligent and hardworking and even has some great customer service work history. He is not introverted or weird or unable to shine in an interview. You guys are either lying or there is a breakdown somewhere because my son isn’t the only one.”

In yet another comment that strikes the sentiment head-on, another person wrote: “First they came for White Collar work. Now they’re repeating the same lies about Blue Collar work.”

The bottom line

Among the ongoing chains of controversies surrounding the H-1B, Musk’s comment would be the latest to date, but certainly not the final one. We are yet to see what the future of H-1B has in store for us. However, at GCEB1, we believe you don’t have to side with H-1B or against it. There is a third way.

If you are serious about building your career in the U.S. and achieving permanent residency, get in touch with us. Our EB-1A green card mentorship could prove useful to you. For any U.S. immigration-related queries, feel free to get in touch with us as well.

Sources and further readings

1. Kukreti, Shweta.“H1-B Visa Row: Elon Musk Stirs Uproar as He Claims Americans Can’t Do ‘Challenging Physical Work’” Hindustan Times, November 17, 2025.
2. Wion.“America Lacks Workers for Tough Jobs, Says Elon Musk Amid H1B Visa Row,” November 17, 2025.
3. TOI World Desk.“Elon Musk Under Fire for Claiming Americans Can’t Do Challenging Physical Work Amid H-1B Row.” The Times of India, November 17, 2025.