Tesla wasn't paying as much as the big tech companies, which meant he didn't have access to that top 1%. By opening the door to more H-1B visas, he could ideally flood the market with international candidates and attract higher skills at a lower cost.

While this approach is self-serving, it makes sense. He could acquire that top talent today if he was willing to pay for it—people would leave their current jobs for a pay upgrade. But he's not willing to do that. So, he needs more candidates.