EB-5 Regional Center: Gain Permanent Residency by Investment in the United States, Including Massachusetts

Do you and your family want to immigrate to Massachusetts or elsewhere in the United States? Or perhaps you’re an immigrant already living in Massachusetts, and you want to gain permanent U.S. residency? One of the best ways to achieve this is through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, which enables you to obtain a U.S. Green Card by investing in the country’s economy.

Although you can invest anywhere in the United States, there are certain benefits to investing in
Massachusetts. If you live in Massachusetts or plan on moving there, you might also wish to invest in a project located close to home.

Just like in other parts of the United States, the easiest way to make an EB-5 investment in Massachusetts is through a regional center. This article explains everything you need to know about this process.

What Is the EB-5 Program?

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is a program that allows foreign investors to gain permanent residency in the U.S. by investing in a new commercial enterprise (NCE). If, after two years, you are able to prove that your investment has generated and maintained 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers, you can apply for an unconditional Green Card.

Read our article on the steps you need to take to obtain an EB-5 visa to learn more about the application procedure.

Primary EB-5 Investment Requirements

Investments made under the EB-5 program are required to meet certain criteria. These include:

• ➔ Investing a minimum of $1,050,000 in a project or business venture, or a minimum of $800,000 in an infrastructure project, or in a project or business venture located in a targeted employment area (TEA). All of EB5AN’s projects are located in TEAs and, therefore, qualify for the lower investment amount.
• ➔ Creating at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers and sustaining these jobs for a minimum of two years. Those who invest through a regional center can count indirect and induced jobs towards job creation. We discuss this in greater detail later in this article.
• ➔ Investing in a new commercial enterprise.
• ➔ Maintaining the at-risk status of the investment and using lawfully sourced investment funds.

What Is a Regional Center?

EB-5 regional centers streamline the EB-5 investment process for potential EB-5 applicants. Investing through a regional center has several benefits:

Indirect Job Creation Counts Toward Your Total Job Creation

Investments that aren’t made through a regional center can only count full-time jobs created by their project—direct jobs—toward the required total of 10. If you invest through a regional center, however, full-time jobs generated because of your project—indirect jobs—also count.

Faster Form I-526E Approval for Rural TEA Projects

Once you have invested, you can apply to the EB-5 program by completing Form I-526E. This form requires you to provide details of the project you are investing in. A rural TEA project qualifies for priority processing, meaning your application will likely be processed faster.

Passive Management

Project managers acting for or on behalf of the NCE or the job-creating entity that owns and develops the project handle most of the business and fund management on behalf of investors. This is great if you want to avoid the hassle of managing a business yourself.

Why Invest in a Regional Center?

Potential EB-5 investors may select EB-5 investments located anywhere in the United States. However, opting for an EB-5 investment in Massachusetts offers several advantages:

Residency benefits are granted to all direct and indirect (via a regional center) EB-5 investors, irrespective of where in the United States the project is located; however, certain advantages apply to investing and living in Massachusetts.

• The EB-5 program is one of the fastest ways to gain U.S. permanent residency for the EB-5 investor, their spouse, and their unmarried children under 21 years of age.
• Retired Green Card holders can access their pensions earned abroad and in the United States. They may also qualify for Medicare and other social welfare programs.
• Green Card holders may apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of established permanent residency in the United States.

Employment Benefits

• Green Card holders are free to live and work anywhere in the United States.
• The EB-5 program does not require a visa sponsor (like a family member) or an employer sponsor.
• Green Card holders do not need an H-1B work visa to work.
• As of 2023, Massachusetts has a flat state income tax rate of 5% on both earned income (wages, salaries) and unearned income (dividends, capital gains).
• The state’s sales tax rate is 6.25%, which applies to most goods and some services. However, items such as groceries, clothing, and certain medical supplies are exempt from this tax.
• Massachusetts offers a state-level Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which allows eligible individuals or households to claim a credit worth 40% of the federal EITC, further reducing their tax liability.

Travel Benefits

• Green Card holders can leave and enter the country without being denied reentry. However, some travel restrictions apply.
• A bona fide resident and Green Card holder is free to travel to any part of the United States.

Education Benefits

• Green Card holders have free access to public elementary, middle, and high schools and lower-cost in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
• U.S. residency significantly improves the likelihood of admission to U.S. universities.
• Green Card holders may qualify for financial aid and scholarships.
• Permanent residents can work while studying, complete internships, and apply for postgraduate positions.

EB5AN’s Northeast Regional Center

Although EB-5 investors can make their EB-5 investment in projects located anywhere in the United States, those in Massachusetts may find it easier to invest in projects located within Massachusetts. Thankfully, EB5AN already has a USCIS-approved regional center in Massachusetts.

The EB5AN Northeast Regional Center contains 14 counties within Massachusetts, including Boston, the state’s capital and one of the most influential cities in U.S. history, and Worcester, the second most populous city in Massachusetts.

EB-5 Investors Based in Massachusetts

EB5AN has EB-5 investment projects available to people already living in the United States, including Massachusetts. The EB-5 program is the best way to obtain U.S. permanent residency by investment.

If you are a foreign national considering an EB-5 investment, EB5AN can help you. Schedule a call to learn more about currently available EB-5 investment opportunities and join other bona fide residents who have immigrated through the EB-5 program.

How to Evaluate EB-5 Investment Projects

EB-5 investors should evaluate financial and immigration risks when selecting an EB-5 investment project.

EB-5 visa investment capital must be at risk for the duration of the investment. This regulation ensures that investors invest their capital and are not simply “buying” a U.S. Green Card.

This “at-risk” requirement does not mean that EB-5 investors are obligated to invest in “risky” projects but rather that there must be a chance of loss. Instead, EB-5 investors are recommended to conduct due diligence to minimize their exposure to financial and immigration risk.

Reasons to Immigrate to Massachusetts

There are many reasons to choose to live in Massachusetts and invest there.

Cultured Cities

Massachusetts has the following main cities:

• Boston
• Worcester
• Lowell
• Springfield
• Cambridge
• Brockton

It is also home to the following attractions:

• Freedom Trail
• Fenway Park
• Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
• The House of the Seven Gables
• Harvard University

Healthcare

Massachusetts consistently ranks as one of the top states for healthcare in the U.S. Massachusetts is ranked at 2 in the nation for healthcare, owing to factors such as access, quality, and public health services.

Massachusetts has one of the highest rates of healthcare coverage in the U.S., with over 97% of its residents insured, thanks to its early adoption of near-universal healthcare.

The state is home to some of the best hospitals in the world, including Massachusetts General Hospital, which is ranked among the top hospitals nationally, and Boston Children’s Hospital, which is considered the best children’s hospital in the country.

Education

Massachusetts is known for its exceptional education system, consistently ranked at the top in the U.S. The state’s K-12 system is considered the best in the nation, ranking at 1 overall for public school education. Massachusetts students excel in math and reading proficiency, and the state is home to world-class universities such as Harvard University and MIT, which consistently rank among the top in global university rankings.

Thriving Innovation and Tech Hub

Massachusetts is widely regarded as a global leader in innovation, particularly in the fields of biotechnology, information technology, and clean energy. The presence of top-tier universities like MIT and Harvard has fostered a culture of research, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

The Boston-Cambridge area is one of the world’s leading biotech hubs, with over 1,000 life sciences companies calling Massachusetts home. Major companies such as Moderna, Biogen, and Pfizer operate from here, driving employment and innovation.

Massachusetts also attracts significant venture capital funding, especially in the tech and biotech sectors. In 2023, the state saw $7.6 billion in venture capital investments, one of the highest levels in the country.

Massachusetts: Population and Income Demographics

According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau at the time of writing, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 5.8 million people over the age of 16. Approximately 3.9 million of them are in the labor force—of these, 3.7 million are employed, and about 154,000 are unemployed.

Massachusetts is home to approximately 6.98 million residents, with 92% of them holding U.S. citizenship. As of 2023, around 17.7% of the state’s population, or 1.24 million people, were born outside the United States, reflecting Massachusetts’ diverse and vibrant immigrant community.

Massachusetts: General Economic Facts

• Massachusetts extends across 10,557.3 miles (land and water), with an average population density of 914.8 people per square mile of land. It is the 45th largest state by area.
• Massachusetts is bordered by New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
• The capital of Massachusetts is Boston, a national leader in research and education.
• Massachusetts’ 2024 gross domestic product (GDP) was $780.666 billion. The main drivers of Massachusetts’ economy include healthcare, education, and biotechnology.

EB-5 Investment: Your Gateway to Permanent Residency in the U.S., Including Massachusetts

With its cultured cities and state-of-the-art healthcare, the state of Massachusetts is a great place to live. Investing in the U.S. economy under the EB-5 program is an easy way for foreign nationals to gain permanent U.S. residency status.

Best of all, if you gain citizenship under the EB-5 program, you will be able to live, work and travel anywhere in the United States. Book a free consultation today to find out how EB5AN can help you achieve this.