eb5exclusive

The Eastern Indiana development group Energize-ECI recently announced that it has applied to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to be recognized as a certified EB-5 Regional Center to help advance economic growth in the area.

The unemployment rate in Indiana currently sits at 10.6 percent, which is higher than the national average of 9.7 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In addition, continued business layoffs and trends placing the state below national numbers for per capita household incomes sparked the need for an innovative investment opportunity to expand business in the region.

Under the EB-5 visa program, Energize-ECI can now recruit foreign investors who are willing to spend at least $500,000 in local businesses and help create at least 10 full-time jobs. In return, the investors are given a more direct path to full U.S. residency.

“The opportunity is truly beautiful to individuals who want to live and contribute their energy in the U.S.,” Maurice Berez, chief adjudications officer for the USCIS Foreign Trader, Investor and Regional Center Program, told the Wall Street Journal.

He added, “And, the EB-5 program creates economic growth and especially jobs for Americans.”

There are currently no EB-5 regional centers in Indiana.