India, Dec. 12 -- US President Donald Trump has announced a new immigration initiative, the "Trump Gold Card", designed to end what he called a "ridiculous" system that forces highly skilled foreign graduates to leave the United States after completing their studies.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said the new programme would finally allow US companies to hire and retain top international students from leading institutions such as Harvard, MIT and Wharton, many of whom currently face years-long immigration uncertainty.

The Gold Card programme, Trump said, will give US employers "certainty" in hiring highly trained graduates who often finish at the top of their class but are unable to secure long-term residency.

According to Trump, ...