EXEO Attorneys | Special Bulletin regarding EB-5 Program Reform

Situation update, March 9, 2022 |

EB-5 Program Expected to Increase to $800K by Mid-March

After months of turmoil, the US EB-5 Program’s minimum investment is likely to increase to $800,000 as the negotiations on the re-authorization of the Regional Center are coming to an end. The vote confirming the reform is expected to take place on March 15.

Early on March 9, the US Congress announced that it will vote on yet another stopgap funding bill to prevent a shutdown in government funding while lawmakers complete their review of the omnibus spending package for the 2022 fiscal year. The stopgap will run through March 15th inclusively, and postpones the final vote on EB-5 reform legislation which is included in the final version of the omnibus.

Congressional leaders released the House’s final draft spending bill early Wednesday morning, which includes a $800,000 minimum investment amount for targeted employment areas in the EB-5 program. If the bill passes the House vote on March 15th, it will move on to a Senate vote. However, insider sources have confirmed that both chambers of Congress are in agreement on the language of the bill with respect to the EB-5, so no differences are expected between the House and Senate versions.

EB-5 stakeholders can therefore expect the increase in the minimum investment from $500,000 to $800,000 to pass by mid-March. The reauthorization of the Regional Center program will bring relief to the thousands of applicants whose files were at a standstill at USCIS since last June, when the program originally lapsed, and will bring stability to the program for new petitioners to come.

Compliments of EXEO Attorneys – a member of the EACCNY.