The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa, administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), is available to immigrants seeking to enter the United States in order to invest in a new commercial enterprise that will benefit the US economy and create at least 10 full-time jobs. There are two ways to invest which you may use within the EB-5 category and they are: creating a new commercial enterprise or investing in a troubled business.
Business Oregon is the designated authority within the state of Oregon to certify the geographic areas or political subdivisions that qualify as targeted employment areas available for EB-5 projects.
Under the federal definition of Targeted Employment Area (TEA), Business Oregon certifies any rural area within the state as a TEA, excluding cities from rural counties with populations of 20,000 or more and those cities with unemployment rates less than 150 percent of the national average unemployment rate. All official metropolitan statistical areas also are excluded unless geographic areas or political subdivisions within the metropolitan areas, such as counties, cities, census tracks, census blocks or a combination, have in the aggregate an unemployment rate at least 150 percent of the national unemployment rate.
TEAs in Oregon—maps and city/county/census designated place/census tract numbers.
To be designated Targeted Employment Areas at the county level, all counties, with exception of those counties included in metropolitan statistical areas, qualify. Cities with populations in excess of 20,000 located in rural counties are excluded from the designation unless the 150 percent national average unemployment provision is met.
Cities, towns, census designated places, census tracks or blocks groups meeting the 150 percent of the national average unemployment rate provision located inside metropolitan statistical areas are automatically designated as targeted employment areas. The 150 percent of the national average unemployment rate used for this year's (2010) determination is 13.88 percent.
TEAs in Oregon—maps and city/county/census designated place/census tract numbers.
If your area is not currently a TEA, learn more about the step-by-step process to request a designation determination.
The amount of capital necessary to make a qualifying investment in a Targeted Employment Area within the United States is five hundred thousand United States dollars ($500,000), and the amount of capital necessary to make a qualifying investment in a high employment area within the United States, as defined in section 203(b)(5)(C)(iii) of the Act, is one million United States dollars ($1,000,000).
Application is a 3-step process and is outlined on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Web site. Additionally, these regional centers are approved to manage EB5 investments in Oregon.
U.S. Government:
Oregon private-sector resources:
In late 2009, Business Oregon assisted GL Solutions, a Bend software company, through the Credit Enhancement Fund to secure a $350,000 loan guarantee with Premier West Bank. The financing helped the company complete its business expansion plans and create 26 new jobs.
The Port of Portland's marine terminals and deep-draft shipping lanes provide ideal multi-modal global shipping solutions for the state.
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