In 2019, the immigration landscape changed rapidly, with significant shifts in immigration policies across multiple countries. As we enter 2020, what will be the trends in the overseas investment immigration market? What impacts will this have on immigration investors? The WorldWay Group, based on the development of the immigration industry in 2019, has conducted thorough research and analysis to assess the dynamics of immigration policy development in various countries, while also consulting with immigration professionals and some investors from relevant countries, and has released the "Six Major Immigration Trends for 2020."
1. "Focusing on Identity Planning and Creating an Overseas Home" Becomes an Important Trend in Immigration Investment
In recent years, under the trend of global asset allocation, more and more investors have realized the importance of overseas identity planning and establishing an overseas home. Investors' asset allocation has shifted from merely focusing on wealth planning and tax planning to emphasizing identity planning and creating an overseas home. Immigration investors still regard their home country as their primary residence and place of business development, but they are creating an overseas home for reasons related to investment, education, health, retirement, vacation, and medical care. This overseas home aligns with economic globalization, the enhancement of investors' international careers, and identity planning, and the characteristics of an overseas home may not be limited to one; different choices may arise based on various reasons. Therefore, in 2020, "Focusing on Identity Planning and Creating an Overseas Home" has become an important trend in immigration investment.
2. The Balkan Region of Europe May Become a New Hotspot for Investment Immigration
In recent years, the European Union has proposed a new round of eastward expansion plans in response to Brexit and has approved an expansion strategy for the Western Balkan region. The European Commission has publicly stated that it will do its utmost to facilitate the rapid accession of Western Balkan countries such as Montenegro, which have already begun membership negotiations, to the EU. As a result, investment citizenship projects in EU candidate countries located in the Balkan region, such as Montenegro and Turkey, have garnered significant attention from immigration investors; the investment citizenship project in Moldova will reopen and become more popular. With the diversified development of the immigration market and the increasingly important role of identity planning in immigration choices, the Balkan region of Europe may become a new hotspot for investment immigration!
3. The Montenegro Investment Citizenship Project May Become a Popular Project Alongside Greek Property Immigration and Turkish Investment Citizenship Projects
In November 2019, the limited-time and limited-quantity Montenegro investment citizenship project was grandly launched in China, attracting industry attention. Montenegro, an EU candidate country in the eastern expansion region with the euro as its legal currency, is publicly stated by the European Commission as a country that "may join the EU before 2025." Through the Montenegro investment citizenship project, investors can invest starting from €350,000, potentially leading to future EU citizenship and enjoying the rights of EU citizens. Therefore, in 2020, the Montenegro investment citizenship project may become another popular project following Greek property immigration and Turkish investment citizenship projects.
4. Increase in EB-5 Visa Quota for Fiscal Year 2020 May Alleviate Waiting Times for Mainland Chinese Investors
According to the U.S. Department of State's report on visa quotas for fiscal year 2020, the EB-5 visa application category will receive an allocation of 1,111 additional visas from the unused family-based immigration visa quota from the previous fiscal year (i.e., fiscal year 2019). As a result, the total number of EB-5 visas for fiscal year 2020 will increase to 11,111. Charlie Oppenheim, the director of the Visa Office at the U.S. Department of State, predicts that the number of visas issued to mainland Chinese investors in fiscal year 2020 is expected to increase significantly to 5,200. The waiting times for EB-5 visas for mainland Chinese investors may be alleviated to some extent. From a long-term perspective, given the "America First" guiding principle, U.S. immigration policies are tightening, and in the future, more unused visa quotas from other immigration visa categories may be allocated to EB-5, potentially increasing the annual number of visas available to mainland Chinese investors. Additionally, the significant increase in EB-5 investment amounts may sharply reduce the demand for EB-5 immigration in the emerging investment immigration market, thereby greatly reducing the likelihood of "legal queue jumping" for mainland Chinese applicants while accelerating the alleviation of visa waiting times.
5. The UK May Reopen the Graduate Work Visa, Attracting More Outstanding Young Individuals to Immigrate to the UK Through Study
The UK government announced that it will restore the Graduate Work Visa (referred to as the PSW visa) in 2020, allowing international students who graduate from higher education institutions approved by the Home Office to stay in the UK for two years to seek employment. This policy will apply to international students enrolling after the 2020/21 academic year, and students studying in the UK will benefit from this new policy. Within two years, if they find a job that meets skill requirements, they can convert their PSW visa into a work visa. The reopening of the PSW visa policy is another initiative following the revision of UK immigration laws, which may attract more outstanding young individuals to immigrate to the UK through study, further promoting the development of study immigration and entrepreneurial immigration in the UK.
6. Investment Citizenship Projects Transitioning from Niche to Mainstream, Expanding Choices for Investors
With the increasingly evident trend of economic globalization, strong investment demand has led more high-net-worth individuals to seek opportunities overseas. Under the concept of "asset allocation, identity first," investment citizenship projects have garnered significant attention from high-net-worth individuals. Industry data shows that investment citizenship projects account for over 20% of the global immigration project market, becoming a mainstream immigration trend. Currently, multiple countries around the world have launched attractive investment citizenship projects based on their unique characteristics, providing investors with more choices while also offering additional value that meets their needs, potentially transitioning from niche projects to mainstream projects.
Hotline for Analysis of the Six Major Immigration Trends for 2020: Mainland China: 400-138-2929; Hong Kong, China: (852) 2802 8798
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