[brimble]

> Strange new world if only the ultra rich are welcome.

Hardly. Most countries treat the rich differently from everyone else, when it comes to immigration/visas, and have basically forever. It's the overwhelming norm. In plenty of desirable countries you can simply buy your way to permanent residency. And I don't just mean the usual tropical tax havens.

For most countries, it's "prove your worth—and it better be damn good—or go away". One way to prove worth is to bring a ton of cash to the table.