The U.S. EB-5 program is an investment immigration program specifically designed to encourage foreign investors. Applicants only need to invest $500,000 in a designated commercial project within a Regional Center and create 10 jobs to be eligible to submit an immigration application (I-526). Once the immigration application is approved, a two-year "conditional green card" is granted. After two years, the immigrant must submit an application to remove conditions (I-829), and the USCIS will review whether the investment project has met the employment standards. If approved, a "permanent green card" will be issued. Among all U.S. immigration categories, the EB-5 program is a convenient channel for immigrating to the United States with a relatively short approval time and minimal qualification restrictions.
Since its introduction to mainland China in 2006, U.S. investment immigration has been highly sought after by mainland investors. In 2010, the number of EB-5 applications from mainland China reached 1,955. In the first quarter of this year, immigration applications already reached 701, accounting for approximately 35% of last year's total. At this rate, it is expected to reach 2,800 for the full year.
Driven by various factors such as the volatile Canadian investment immigration policy, trends in U.S. government changes, the depreciation of the U.S. dollar, and U.S. immigration policies, U.S. investment immigration is heating up and entering an optimal window of opportunity.
Volatile Canadian investment immigration policy accelerates the "heating up" of U.S. investment immigration
On July 1, 2011, the Canadian federal government announced a new immigration policy: from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, only 700 applications would be accepted globally. Once 700 applications were received, the federal immigration department would stop accepting new ones. Subsequent applications would be returned, and applicants would have to wait until the program reopened on July 1, 2012, to submit them.
Shortly thereafter, the official website of the Canadian federal immigration department announced that the 700-person quota for the 2011 federal program had been fully filled.
Many clients who missed the opportunity to apply for federal immigration began to switch their cases to the Canadian Provincial Nominee Program. Taking Quebec as an example, the Quebec immigration office announced the addition of 15 immigration officers to cope with the sudden increase in client applications.
The measure of adding immigration officers in Quebec suggests the difficulty the Quebec immigration office faces in dealing with the large influx of new applications. Based on past experience, it is not difficult to predict that once the number of applications increases and cases become backlogged, Quebec is very likely to follow the federal government's lead and implement a quota policy.
Worldway immigration experts point out that considering the "volatility" of Canada's investment immigration policy, some clients have begun to worry about missing the immigration opportunity again and are switching their cases to U.S. investment immigration. This reason will become the biggest factor driving U.S. investment immigration into an optimal timing.
The approaching U.S. government transition and the expiration of the EB-5 bill promote the current "optimal timing" for U.S. investment immigration
In November 2012, the deadline for the U.S. government transition will arrive. At that time, the future of the Obama administration will affect the direction of U.S. investment immigration policy.
Previously, the relatively loose immigration policy pursued by the Obama administration had a significant and positive impact on U.S. investment immigration.
At the same time, the U.S. election next year coincides with the expiration of the 3-year cycle of the U.S. EB-5 investment immigration bill. As the U.S. government has not yet fully emerged from the shadow of the economic crisis, it may adjust the requirements for EB-5 applications or increase the investment amount, most likely reverting to the previously required $1 million investment.
Worldway immigration experts believe that before the U.S. government election and the expiration and change of the investment immigration bill, including the time for project selection, the next 3 months will be an optimal time for U.S. investment immigration.
The continuous fluctuation of the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the RMB makes immigrating to the U.S. "most cost-effective" at this time
On August 2, 2011, the central parity rate of the RMB against the U.S. dollar in the interbank foreign exchange market was: 1 USD to 6.4419 RMB. For some time, the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the RMB has been constantly refreshing. Compared to the past, when 1 USD was worth more than 8 RMB, the exchange cost for investment immigration clients has been greatly reduced.
At the same time, according to past international situations, once the international strength of the United States is demonstrated, the U.S. dollar will appreciate rapidly. If one applies for U.S. investment immigration at that time, it will inevitably increase the cost of immigration.
Worldway immigration experts believe that one should seize this opportunity to process U.S. investment immigration as soon as possible and realize your dream of immigrating to the United States at the lowest cost.
The 15-day premium processing service of the U.S. immigration bureau pushes U.S. investment immigration into a "full-speed application period"
Currently, for clients planning to apply for U.S. investment immigration, the U.S. immigration bureau has announced a major piece of good news: the immigration bureau stated that it will accelerate the processing of investment immigration entrepreneurial projects that have been fully planned and can be implemented quickly, while providing a Premium Processing Service for investment immigration applicants. After paying an additional fee, the review will be completed within 15 working days.
The U.S. immigration bureau's improvement of the approval efficiency for investment immigration is based on President Obama's response to the current economic difficulties and low employment, aiming to attract global investors to provide funds and increase job opportunities for the United States through investment immigration.
Worldway immigration experts believe that simplifying the processing procedures for investment immigration not only makes immigration law more perfect but also meets the needs of U.S. economic development and national security. The 15-day premium processing service allows investors to save months of waiting for approval results, thereby allowing them to adjust their immigration decisions in a shorter period of time.
In addition, the collective "price hikes" in application fees for investment immigration in European countries since 2010 have also made the United States the country most favored by investment immigration clients in the long term.
(Disclaimer: This article is original by Worldway Immigration Agency. Please indicate the source when reprinting.)
