What is the EB-5 Program?

In 1990 Congress created the Employment Based: Fifth Preference (EB-5) immigration option though the Immigration Act of 1990. With the EB-5, foreign nationals now qualify for permanent residency status in the United States if they meet certain requirements.

The program was created to promote economic growth by requiring the foreign investor to invest at least $1,000,000 United States Dollars and creating at least 10 permanent full time jobs. Later the minimum investment was lowered to $500,000 United States Dollars to encourage foreigners to invest in Targeted Employment Areas.

The Regional Center was later created to facilitate this investment process. With the creation of Regional Centers and Regional Center sponsored projects, the investor can now receive credit for induced and indirect employment as well as the opportunity to “pre-approve” a project to ensure that the government finds the investment and its structure viable and qualified for the residency petition.
 

For More information on the EB-5:

EB-5 Investor Source: USCIS.gov
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Process Source: USCIS.gov
A “Cool” Guide to EB-5 Law and Services: eb-5center.com