In 2015, the global immigration industry underwent significant shifts: the Hong Kong Investment Immigration program was suspended, visa backlogs emerged for U.S. investment immigration, the U.S. EB-5 Regional Center program faced a turbulent reform process, and European property-based immigration policies became more relaxed. It could be said that when one door closed, another opened. Everything revolved around a single word: "Change." Today, Worldway Group officially announces the keyword for the 2015 global immigration industry: "Change." Below, please join Worldway Group in reviewing exactly where the changes occurred in global immigration in 2015.
1. Suspension of the Hong Kong Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
On January 15, 2015, a major shift occurred in the Hong Kong Capital Investment Entrant Scheme. The Hong Kong SAR Government announced on January 14, 2015, that the scheme would suspend the acceptance of new applications effective January 15, 2015, until further notice. Launched on October 27, 2003, to stimulate the economy following the SARS outbreak, the scheme attracted over 100 billion HKD in investments over its 12-year history. The suspension of this scheme, coupled with the continued implementation and optimization of the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, became a major event in the 2015 immigration industry.
2. First-ever Visa Backlog for the 25-Year-Old U.S. EB-5 Immigration Program
On April 13, 2015, Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division at the U.S. Department of State, announced that Chinese EB-5 applicants would face a visa backlog, with a cut-off date of May 1, 2013, for mainland Chinese investors. This marked the official entry of the 25-year-old U.S. EB-5 visa program into the era of backlogs, representing a major change in U.S. investment immigration in 2015.
3. Turbulent Policy Changes for U.S. Investment Immigration
Within the year 2015, the U.S. EB-5 Regional Center program reform faced a series of twists and turns, experiencing three consecutive short-term extensions—a first in its history. This indicated that the program, which has been in place since 1990, was destined for its first major historical reform in 25 years. Despite several temporary extensions, no final resolution was reached. However, the word "change" remained the central theme for U.S. investment immigration in 2015, becoming a major focus of the industry.
4. Popularity of Canadian Provincial Nominee Investment Immigration Programs
Following the "cancellation" of the Canadian Federal Immigrant Investor Program in 2014 and a period of relative silence, Canada introduced various policies in 2015. Some provincial nominee programs became more direct, simpler, and faster, gaining popularity among investors. Simultaneously, with the newly elected Prime Minister from the Liberal Party encouraging immigration, positive news for immigrants appeared frequently. Canadian immigration began to heat up.
5. Diversification of Commonwealth Passport Programs
As the value of Commonwealth passport programs became recognized by an increasing number of Chinese investors, and following the initial entry of the Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment program into China, more Commonwealth passport programs entered the Chinese market in 2015, including those from Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, and Vanuatu. These programs became more diverse, providing Chinese investors with a wider range of choices and attracting significant attention and popularity.
6. Relaxation of European Property-Based Immigration Policies
In 2015, European countries such as Portugal, Spain, and Greece adjusted their immigration policies, introducing more relaxed investment immigration measures and easing various restrictions. The boom in European property-based immigration intensified, attracting significant attention and favor from numerous Chinese investors, and the trend swept across both China and abroad.
7. Emergence of Estate and Agricultural Property Investment in European Immigration, Diversifying Forms
In 2015, a new form of investment immigration emerged in Europe: investing in European estates and agricultural properties. This form became more diverse and began to represent a new trend in European investment immigration. For example, Cyprus was the first to launch a European estate investment project, where an investment of 2.5 million Euros grants ownership of a large estate and an EU passport. Subsequently, Portugal also introduced a European agricultural property project. As soon as these projects entered China, they received great attention from Chinese investors.
8. Cross-Border Allocation of Personal Assets Becomes a Hot Topic in Investment Immigration
In 2015, the exchange rates of the three major currencies showed a "two low, one high" trend: the RMB exchange rate showed a downward trend, the Euro hit a 12-year low, and the US Dollar rose strongly, creating a golden opportunity for Chinese investors to invest overseas. Against this backdrop, the cross-border allocation of personal assets became a trend in 2015, with immigration investment serving as the leading or primary form of achieving such allocation. With the vigorous development of immigration investment, the cross-border allocation of personal assets became one of the hottest investment topics of 2015.
9. Closer Non-Governmental Exchanges in Immigration Between China and the U.S.
Along with the development of the immigration industry in both China and the U.S., non-governmental exchanges between the two countries became closer. Notably, in June 2015, China hosted the first "U.S. Immigration Month" event, which attracted more Chinese investors to focus on U.S. investment immigration and promoted cultural exchange in immigration between the two nations. At the same time, U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a televised address for U.S. Immigration Month, helping to elevate the joint celebration of the event to new heights and making it a major topic of discussion in the entire immigration community.
10. Frequent Changes in Australian Immigration Policy
In 2015, Australian immigration policy underwent multiple changes. The Significant Investor Visa (SIV) was suspended starting April 24, 2015, and reopened on July 1 with stricter requirements, including a ban on direct investment in residential property and specific requirements for the balanced allocation of investment across different sectors. Investors are required to invest 5 million AUD through funds in various fields and must have their investment verified by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission upon the expiration of the investment period to obtain the visa. Additionally, on July 1, Australia officially introduced the Premium Investor Visa (PIV), requiring an investment of over 15 million AUD in Australia. Consequently, Australian immigration policy became stricter with higher thresholds.