IN THIS GUIDE · Assessing a project that uses several job-creation assumptions
Read the allocation as well as the model
At least ten qualifying full-time jobs must be supported per investor under the applicable rules. Regional-center methods differ from standalone direct employment evidence. Ask how the project allocates the modeled jobs and avoids counting the same jobs repeatedly for different investors.
Confirm the amount and reduced basis
The standard investment is US$1,050,000, with US$800,000 for a qualifying targeted employment area or infrastructure project, subject to statutory adjustments beginning January 1, 2027. Verify the project’s actual basis; a regional-center designation does not automatically establish the lower amount. Determine the applicable capital threshold by the petition filing date, rather than the date of a wire, invoice or later I-829 filing.
Trace the investor’s money independently
Lawful source and path must be supported even when the project’s economics are strong. Identify the investor’s entitlement, transfers and actual contribution. Administrative fees do not become qualifying capital merely because they were wired with the investment.
Plan beyond petition approval
An approved immigrant petition does not itself grant permanent residence or work permission. Visa availability and the proper consular or adjustment process matter. Conditional residence is followed by a removal-of-conditions process, and commercial repayment terms do not guarantee recovery or a universal two-year exit.
Read participation rights beside the economic report
The jobs report does not establish the investor’s required participation. Examine management or policy-formulation rights in the enterprise agreement; qualifying limited-partner rights can satisfy that part without requiring the investor to direct construction personally.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.