Employment
Creation Investor Immigrants (5th preference):
The Immigration Act of 1990 established an investor category
for obtaining permanent resident status, with 10,000 visas
allocated annually. This category is for those who invest
$1,000,000 in a new enterprise that employs 10 U.S. workers
(exclusive of immigrant, spouse, sons & daughters)
An exception to the 10 full time position requirement is where
an alien makes the investment in a “troubled”
business, defined as one in existence for at least two years
and incurred a net loss up to 24 months prior to the alien
investment.
The alien may either establish a new enterprise, purchase
or expand an existing business with capital, defined as cash,
equipment, inventory, other tangible property, cash equivalents
and indebtedness secured by assets of the alien.
To encourage investment, Congress created a Special Pilot
Program that allows the obtaining of permanent resident status
without any quota backlog. An investment in a Special Pilot
Program, an area of unemployment of 150% of the national average,
is only $500,000 and provides the following benefits: |
