Request a TEA Designation

At the discretion of the Governor of Oregon, Business Oregon may provide designations for applicants who can prove that the proposed investment area is located within a Targeted Employment Area (TEA). Petitioners can make an individual request to Business Oregon if they believe a location should be designated as a TEA and it is currently not included in the state's published list.

TEA Qualifications

A Targeted Employment Area is defined by Title 8, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 204.6(e) as an area that, at the time of investment, is a rural area or an area that has experienced unemployment of at least 150% of the national average rate. A rural area is further defined as any area not within a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) or the boundary of any city or town having a population of 20,000 or more. Areas that have experienced unemployment of at least 150% of the national average rate are called high unemployment areas and are designated by states.

Therefore, all counties in Oregon not included in an MSA, excluding cities with populations of 20,000 or more, qualify as TEAs.

In accordance with 8 CFR 204.6(i), Business Oregon is the designated authority within the state of Oregon to certify geographic areas or political subdivisions located within MSAs or cities of 20,000 or more in Oregon as high unemployment areas. Business Oregon certifies geographic areas or political subdivisions such as counties, cities, Census Designated Places, Census Tracts and Census Block Groups in MSA counties and cities of 20,000 or more as areas of high unemployment if they have unemployment rates of at least 150% of the national unemployment rate.

Business Oregon also may certify a high unemployment area, as requested, for a combination of the aforementioned geographic and political subdivisions within an MSA or city of 20,000 or more, so long as the area is contiguous and has an unemployment rate of at least 150% of the national unemployment rate. These certifications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The 150% of the national average unemployment rate used for the 2011 determination is 14.4%.

Prior to making a request, first consider . . .

1. A specific address for the proposed investment is needed in order to determine the geopolitical area. If you don't have an address, skip to step 2.
      • Determine geopolitical areas encompassed by the site address.
2. The investment location's geopolitical area has to qualify as a Targeted Employment Area; meaning it is located in a rural area or high unemployment area with an unemployment rate equal to or exceeding 150% of the U.S. unemployment rate.
      • Current Oregon designations
3. Once you have verified that the location qualifies, provide the property address and qualifying geopolitical area, and send an email request for a determination. Request a state-issued determination (email to Business Oregon) or a USCIS determination.