The choice to invest with EB5AN on an EB-5 investment project in New Jersey provides all the standard benefits of EB-5 program investment and more. Discover what this residency-by-investment program and New Jersey’s premier regional center can do for foreign nationals seeking EB-5 investment opportunities.
Why Most EB-5 Investors Turn to Regional Center Investment
First and foremost, investing in an EB-5 regional center helps streamline the EB-5 investing process for prospective EB-5 petitioners. Regional centers also make it easier to fulfill the job creation requirement by utilizing indirect methods of calculating jobs via an approved economic methodology–something only afforded to regional centers. As such, EB-5 investment participants only need to prove their capital was invested according to business plans. This is a stark contrast to the evidence typically required to document that the minimum number of full-time (W-2) employment positions were created, filled, and sustained for at least two years.
EB5AN oversees several regional centers approved by USCIS that span a broad geographic area. This vast network enables immediate sponsorship of strong EB-5 projects throughout the United States, including in New Jersey.
The EB5AN State of New Jersey Regional Center
Prospective EB-5 investment participants are free to choose EB-5 projects located anywhere inside the U.S. However, New Jersey EB-5 investors don’t have far to go if they want to invest closer to home. The EB5AN State of New Jersey Regional Center is USCIS-approved and offers geographic coverage over the entire state of New Jersey, including these 7 well-known cities.
- Newark: A leading shipping, airline, and railroad hub in the nation.
- Jersey City: Located across the Hudson River from New York and now one of the largest banking and financial centers in the U.S.
- Edison: An epicenter of Asian American culture situated in Middlesex.
- Piscataway: Home to advanced educational and research facilities associated with Rutgers University and fifth-oldest municipality in the state.
- Iselin: An unincorporated locale designated as its own community by the U.S. census inside the Woodbridge Township of Middlesex County.
- Princeton Meadows: An unincorporated community designated through the U.S. census inside the Plainsboro Township in Middlesex County.
- Sayreville: A Raritan River borough near the Raritan Bay of Middlesex County.
Green Card Benefits for New Jersey EB-5 Investors
There are several direct benefits enjoyed by EB-5 investment participants in New Jersey, which fall under a handful of generalized categories: residency and citizenship benefits, employment benefits, travel benefits, and education benefits. Here are some of the most common benefits arranged by type.
EB-5 Green Card Residency and Citizenship Benefits
- A faster path to permanent residency in the U.S. for EB-5 investors and their qualified family members.
- Access to pensions earned both stateside and abroad.
- Eligibility for social welfare programs like Medicare.
- Opportunity to apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of permanent residency establishment.
Employment Benefits for EB-5 Green Card Holders
- No restrictions on where you may live or work in the United States.
- Access to all benefits a local community may offer, from scenery to tax incentives.
- No requirement for employer or visa sponsorship.
- No requirement to have an H-1B work visa to legally work.
EB-5 Green Card Travel Benefits
- Freedom to visit any part of the U.S.
- Freedom to leave and enter the U.S. without concerns for reentry denial (some travel restrictions apply).
- Immediate entry into the U.S. in cases of political change or other significant events in an investor’s home country.
Education Benefits for EB-5 Green Card Holders
- Access to free public education at elementary, middle, and high school levels
- Lower-cost in-state tuition through public colleges and universities
- Better chances of securing admission at a U.S. university (by up to 350%)
- Eligibility for scholarships and other financial aid opportunities
- Freedom to work while also completing studies and internships and while applying for post-graduation employment
Five Primary Requirements of All EB-5 Investments
There are five primary EB-5 investment requirements which can be summarized in the following points:
- A minimum investment of either $1.05 million or $800,000 when participating in a project located in a designated targeted employment area (TEA). All EB5AN investment projects are located within designated TEAs so investors automatically qualify for the lower investment amount when working with EB5AN.
- A minimum of 10 full-time positions to be filled by qualified U.S. workers either created or maintained to last a minimum of two years.
- An investment made in either a new commercial enterprise or a program-approved troubled business.
- Submission of evidence proving all investment capital was lawfully sourced.
- An entire investment period in which the capital has remained “at-risk.”
Evaluating Risks Associated with EB-5 Investment Projects
New Jersey’s EB-5 investors should evaluate all risks, including financial and immigration risks, for any EB-5 investment project they are considering. Take, for instance, the requirement of every successful EB-5 investment for all investment capital must be at risk throughout the investment period. This requirement ensures EB-5 investors are investing their funds, not just “buying” a U.S. green card.
That said, “at-risk” does not translate to investing in “risky” projects. On the contrary, in fact, EB-5 investors should always conduct thorough due diligence in order to minimize any exposure to immigration or financial risk.
EB5AN wanted to help, so in a collaborative effort with Klasko Immigration Law Partners, they have developed an EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Tool accessible to EB-5 investors. The highly functional and easy-to-use tool aids investors in navigating through the initial stages of due diligence in vetting EB-5 projects from both financial and immigration risk perspectives.
Download our EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Questionnaire
More Information about New Jersey
New Jersey: Population and Income Demographics
The U.S. Census reports that New Jersey maintains a population aged 16 and over of approximately 7 million, 4.7 million are considered a part of the state’s labor force. 4.2 million of them are employed, and 472,000 are unemployed.
New Jersey: General Economic Outlook
New Jersey’s geographical area is approximately 8,722 miles, with a width of around 70 miles and a length around 170 miles. Population density based on these figures comes to 1,210.1 people per square mile, positioning the state as the most densely populated one in the nation.
Trenton is the state capitol, and Newark is New Jersey’s largest city. Central Jersey is considered the largest metro area in the state. New Jersey’s gross domestic product (GDP) reached $487 billion in 2010, implying a per capita GDP of $49,901 and a compound annual growth rate between 2000 and 2010 of 3.39%. This data makes New Jersey the eighth-largest economy in the nation by GDP.
New Jersey is also home to the second-largest total of millionaires per capita in the U.S. More than three-quarters of the state’s locations topped the national per capita income average, and 9 counties in this small state sit in the top 100 wealthiest in the nation.
2015 unemployment data reflected an average unemployment rate of 5.9% in New Jersey. Monthly unemployment rates were a steady 5% in October and November of 2015 that then dropped to 4.4% in December 2015.
New Jersey’s EB-5 Investors
For EB-5 investment project inquiries in the state of New Jersey, reach out to the EB5AN State of New Jersey Regional Center. Find out what investment opportunities are open to EB-5 investment participants and current projects sponsored by EB5AN’s regional center.
Regardless of where you reside in New Jersey, foreign nationals seeking to make an EB-5 investment can get help from the team at EB5AN. Click here to schedule a call and find out more details about currently available EB-5 investment opportunities. New Jersey EB-5 investors located in and around the following cities are encouraged to inquire about the EB-5 investment process through EB5AN as well:
