There are many benefits to making EB5 investments in regional center projects. Investors from London, Ontario who work with EB5AN to make EB-5 investments will receive guidance throughout the EB5 investment process, from the beginning stages of evaluating projects to submitting paperwork to USCIS.
Investors from London, Ontario Can Connect with EB5 Affiliate Network (EB5AN) for Guidance Regarding the EB-5 Visa Program
Investors from London, Ontario who are still in Canada can register to attend an event in Canada held by EB5AN. Events happen several times a year, so investors can select a date that fits their schedule. Investors from London are also invited to sign up to meet with an EB5AN consultant one-on-one to discuss EB-5 investments.
What Benefits Do Green Cards Offer Investors and Their Families?
Investors from London will experience several benefits of U.S. Green Cards. The primary benefits can be found below.
Enjoy Resident and Citizen Privileges
- Once Green Card holders have lived in the United States under resident status for five years, they are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.
- One of the most expedited ways to become a U.S. resident and then citizen is by making an EB5 investment through the EB5 visa program. The program allows investors to get Green Cards for themselves and eligible family members, who are spouses and unmarried children younger than 21.
- Retirees who are U.S. residents may be eligible for Medicaid and other related programs. They will also be permitted to access money from pensions earned in the United States and in their home countries.
Get U.S. Work Authorization
- Green Card holders can work in the United States without the need for an H-1B work visa.
- Green Cards gained through the EB-5 visa program eliminate the need for a visa sponsor and an employment sponsor.
- EB5 investors who have Green Cards can live anywhere in the United States.
- EB5 investors can choose to live in any state they want, from states like Vermont and Idaho on the border of Canada, to southern states with warmer climates. There are locales for every lifestyle, from small, rural towns to suburbs to bustling cities.
- Some U.S. states, including New Hampshire and Nevada, charge no state income taxes.
Enjoy Travel within the United States and Abroad
- Green Cards give investors and their families the option to travel, live, and work anywhere in the United States.
- While there are a few travel restrictions for Green Card holders, U.S. residents can leave the United States and return anytime within 12 months without fearing denial of reentry.
- Green Cards can provide some security for investors, who will be able to quickly gain entry to the United States in case an unstable situation arises in their home country.
Enjoy the Advantages of the U.S. Education System
- EB5 investors with Green Cards have access to the U.S. education system. They can enroll their children in public schools for high school, middle school, and elementary school at no cost. Due to their resident status, they are also eligible to pay lower, in-state tuition at public colleges.
- U.S. residency can give students a significant boost when it comes time to apply to college. Those with Green Cards have up to a 350% greater likelihood of being admitted to U.S. universities and colleges.
- U.S. residents are eligible for a wider array of scholarship and financial aid opportunities. They can also pay in-state tuition rates at public colleges.
- It is easier for students with Green Cards to hold jobs while in school, complete internships, and apply for employment after completing their degrees.
EB5 Investment Parameters
EB5 investments must meet the following requirements.
- Investments in projects in targeted employment areas (TEAs) require a lower minimum investment amount ($800,000) than investments in projects not located in TEAs. Investments in projects not in TEAs require at least $1,050,000. All projects managed by EB5AN are located in TEAs. Because of this, investors who work with EB5AN qualify for the $800,000 investment minimum.
- 10 jobs for eligible U.S. workers must be created by an EB-5 investment. These jobs must last for at least two years and have full-time hours.
- EB-5 investments must go toward a troubled business (restrictions apply) or a new commercial enterprise.
- Funds used in EB-5 investments must be at risk for the investment’s duration. They must also prove that their capital was legally acquired.
Guidelines on Selecting the Best Projects for EB-5 Investments
The requirement that capital must stay at risk while invested can be easily misinterpreted. This rule is in place to prevent the simple exchange of funds for Green Cards. However, it does not mean that investors must, or even should, put money into a “risky” investment project.
It is highly important for EB-5 investors to carefully evaluate all potential projects to ensure that they will be successful investments. Investors from London, Ontario should always consider financial and immigration risk when assessing projects for EB5 investments.
In order to assist investors in the process of conducting due diligence on EB-5 investment projects, EB5AN and Klasko Immigration Law Partners formulated the EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Tool. This tool uses the frameworks of immigration and financial risk to assist EB-5 investors in their evaluation of investment projects.
Download our EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Questionnaire
Regional Centers and the Job Creation Requirement for EB5 Investments
A special rule applies to projects sponsored by EB-5 regional centers regarding what types of jobs count toward the job creation requirement for EB5 investments. EB-5 regional center projects may use an indirect method to calculate jobs created by EB-5 investments, in which an economic study measures an investment’s impact. Indirect jobs can be counted for up to 90% of jobs associated with a regional center project. This rule is useful for investors because it makes it easier for them to prove their EB5 investments have satisfied the job creation requirement. Investors who put capital toward regional center projects must prove only that their investment was used according to the regional center project’s business plan, rather than having to prove that the commercial enterprise created 10 direct jobs for W-2 employees.
EB-5 Affiliate Network manages an array of regional centers across the United States and is ready to immediately sponsor EB5 investment projects with investors from London, Ontario.
EB-5 Investors from London Should Contact EB5AN Experts to Discuss Next Steps
To find out which of EB5AN’s regional center projects are currently ready to receive investments, investors from London, Ontario can contact EB5 Affiliate Network. To do so, London-based investors should call 1-800-288-9138 or email info@EB5AN.com.
What Makes London, Ontario a Unique City?
Demographic Information on London, Ontario
In 2021, London, Ontario’s population was 422,324. London’s population density was about 1000 people per square kilometer in the same year. About 20% of London’s population are visible minorities. More than three quarters of the population in London, Ontario speaks English as a first language. The second most common first language for London residents is Arabic, the third most common is Spanish, and the fourth is Mandarin. Only just over 1% of London, Ontario residents speak French as a first language.
Climate and Geography in London, Ontario
London is located in southwestern Ontario. The Thames River runs through London, Ontario and its northern and southern branches meet in the city’s center. The place where these branches meet is known as “The Forks.” London is surrounded by Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. The lakes influence London’s climate, which is humid continental.
