06
Oct

LEAHY SECURES FIVE MONTH EXTENSION FOR CRITICAL FOREIGN INVESTMENT

DATELINE: WASHINGTONThe following information was released by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy: Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has secured an extension of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center pilot program in a continuing resolution approved by Congress to keep the government operating when the fiscal year ends on September 30. The five-month extension will become effective when the President signs the bill. Leahy has pushed for a five-year extension of the successful EB-5 Regional Center pilot program. In March, he introduced legislation to make the program permanent. Since it was first created in 1993, the pilot program has attracted millions of dollars in foreign investment in the United States, and created thousands of new domestic jobs.

30
Jul

Foreigners invest locally in return for green card

Orlando Business Journal - by Dan Ping Jim Carchidi Friday, July 25, 2008The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service will decide next month whether or not to name Central Florida as a major hub where local businesses can tap into a new source of foreign investment -- up to $10 billion annually. It's all part of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor program, which allows foreign investors to eventually become permanent U.S. residents. It was created by Congress in 1991 to spur foreign investment and create new jobs in the U.S. Until now, the program has gotten little attention. In fact, the U.S. Citizenship an

28
Jul

Worried Banks Sharply Reduce Business Loans

As bank loans become more difficult to obtain for US companies, EB-5 sources of capital are more critical and valuable than ever. A substantial portion of pooled EB-5 investor capital is in the form of partnerships that either loan or directly contribute for an equity stake. This results in several hundred millions of dollars per year to meet such business needs.As an example, through May of this fiscal year (the most recent date for which data is available), a total of 422 I-526 petitions representing approximately $220 million in aggregate EB-5 investor capital had been approved, and 545 I-526 petitions representing another $285 million in aggregate capital were pending.The increasing role of the EB-5 regional center pilot program as a source o

18
Jun

TO EXTEND FOR 5 YEARS THE EB–5 REGIONAL CENTER

110TH CONGRESS REPORT2d Session " HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ! 110–698TO EXTEND FOR 5 YEARS THE EB–5 REGIONAL CENTERPILOT PROGRAMJUNE 5, 2008.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State ofthe Union and ordered to be printedMr. CONYERS, from the Committee on the Judiciary,submitted the followingR E P O R T[To accompany H.R. 5569][Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill(H.R. 5569) to extend for 5 years the EB–5 regional center pilotprogram, having considered the same, report favorably thereonwithout amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.CONTENTSPagePurpose an

18
Jun

Karen Caco, International Immigration Services & Michael Gibson, USAdvisors.org in the News!

By: David Belian and Brendan BrownCongressNow StaffJun 09, 2008 5:53 PMThe House is set to approve more than three dozen suspension bills this week. As of press time, the chamber had already passed a measure to ease visa rules for certain foreign investors and another authorizing short-term Secret Service protection for former vice presidents.A measure (H.R. 5569), introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). would extend for five years a pilot program designed to allow foreign investors to more easily enter the United States. The EB-5 program allows visas to be granted quickly to foreign citizens willing to make an active investment of $1 million, or $500,000 in certain employment areas, toward a venture that would benefit the U.S. economy and create at l

12
Jun

H.R. 5569: To extend for 5 years the EB-5 regional center pilot program, and for other purposes

To extend for 5 years the EB-5 regional center pilot program,IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMarch 10, 2008Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryJune 5, 2008Additional sponsor: Mr. COSTAJune 5, 2008Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Unionordered to be printedA BILLTo extend and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of

02
Jun

China trade mission is an eye-opener

Barrett, others in Milwaukee are eager to make some dealsBy JOHN SCHMIDjschmid@journalsentinel.comPosted: Oct. 22, 2005The ultramodern shipping docks in China's coastal city of Ningbo left Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett thunderstruck. The ports, among China's busiest, ship 4 million containers a year with automated cranes that work around the clock. Many of the super-freighters, stacked high with containers of low-cost wares, head to the United States. Four out of five return empty, reflecting a yawning trade gap that is corroding A

02
Jun

Write the Check, Get a Green Card

http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2008/may/naReports/ That's what the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services' Immigrant Investor Pilot Program, known as EB-5, did for 779 foreign individuals and their 2,227 dependents in the most recently concluded fiscal year. All told, these investors poured some $428 million into U.S. projects projected to create more than 7,700 direct and indirect jobs. But the program has room for three times that many visas – which means the potential of up to $2 billion in investments.    At a time when foreign corporate money has its eyes on U.S. investment like never before, economic developers