January 16, 2012

The Orlando Sentinel recently published a piece on expanding the EB-5 Visa Program to create more jobs in Florida.   Going on to state that the Obama Administration has promised to streamline a smart, productive approach to the immigration policy. A major part of this immigration policy is an immigrant investor visa, known as the Employment Based EB-5 Pilot Program. The EB-5 program was developed in 1990 as a facilitator that allows foreign investors to invest in U.S. projects and businesses that would help create American jobs.  In return for their investment of $1 Million, commonly $500,000 through the Regional Center Program, investors will receive their Permanent U.S. Green Card, if said investment creates 10 or more American jobs.

South Florida has always been an international destination and a crossroads for much of the business done between the United States and South American countries.   This has led to the area attracting billions of dollars in foreign investments over the past decades.  However, now many banks are requiring 30% or more down on project funding, which leaves many developers and business owners looking for alternatives to traditional bank financing. Some developers are looking to the EB-5 program to fund projects in South Florida that may not have otherwise obtained funding.

In order to maintain prominence in the travel and leisure industries, Florida needs to continue their investment in prestigious projects, like Harbourside Place in Jupiter, Florida.  Visitors from around the world will flock to the luxurious shopping, dining, and hotel accommodations, all set along the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.  Without projects like Harbourside Place, Florida’s tourism sector will become stagnant and second-class when compared to other options around the world.

Furthermore, without funding from the EB-5 program, thousands of direct and indirect jobs would not be created by projects like Harbourside Place.  Projecting to create in excess of 2,400 jobs, Harbourside Place would not create any of these jobs without the EB-5 program funding.  Furthermore, these job figures do not include the millions of additional dollars that will be injected into local businesses well into the future that will only be sprouted because of this major economical influx.

Investors who meet the requirements to obtain their permanent U.S. Green Card will continuously inject further sums of money into the U.S. economy as well.  Many will purchase residencies, automobiles, home furnishings, and travel arrangements, all of which will further inject money into the U.S. economy, as well as provide sales taxes for the U.S. Government.

With all of these facts taken into account, the Obama administration needs to deliver on promises to streamline and expand the EB-5 Program. This issue needs to draw support from both sides of the aisle.  If Democrats and Republicans can show bipartisan support for a program that helps create American Jobs, we will be one step further in repairing the United States’ economy.   With a large portion of capital flowing out of the United States through trade deficits, this program will also help to repatriate a portion of these funds.   The U.S. Government needs to move this to a vote, which will extend the program indefinitely and decrease the processing time required for immigrant investors to be cleared to enter the U.S.

With the economy slowly moving forward, this is no time to let a key piece of this recovery process like the EB-5 program lapse due to political unrest.  The Orlando Sentinel stated it best, “(…) there’s no doubt the EB-5 Program is needed – and especially now.”

To learn more about the EB-5 Program, please visit: www.FLregionalcenter.com《奥兰多守望报》近期发表了一篇关于扩大EB-5签证方案来为佛罗里达创造就业职位的文章。继续表态称奥巴马政府已经承诺要效率化一个智能的多产的途径的移民政策。这个移民政策的主要部分就是移民投资签证，即基于就业的EB-5试行方案。EB-5方案自1990年来作为一种允许外国人投资美国项目和商业以助为美国创造就业的措施。作为对他们投资100万美元（投资到区域中心方案的普遍为50万美元）的回报，如果该单位投资能为美国创造10个或更多的就业机会，投资者可以获得永久美国绿卡。

南佛罗里达一直以来作为美国及南美国家商务达成的国际目的地及交汇点。这使该地区在近几十年来吸引了数十亿美元的外国投资。但是，目前很多银行都要求项目集资达到30%甚至更高，这使得大量开发商和商业拥有者寻求其他方式以替代传统的银行融资。一些开发商采用EB-5方案来为他们也许得不到传统融资的位于南佛罗里达的项目筹资。

为了维持其旅游及休闲工业的优越性，佛罗里达需要继续投资一些声名显赫的项目，如佛罗里达朱庇特的海港之地项目。来自全世界的游客将涌向位于大西洋和内航海水道的奢饰品购物场所、饮食及酒店设施。如果没有海港之地项目，佛罗里达的旅游业对比起世界上其他的选择来说会显得比较呆板及次要。

此外，没有EB-5方案的融资就无法通过如海港之地这样的项目创造出数千个直接及间接的就业机会。海港之地项目将创造2400多个就业机会，如果没有EB-5的融资这将无法达到。而且这些就业数据未包括注入到当地经济未来的数百万美元，这是由于此项大项目才产生。。

符合条件的投资者将获得永久美国绿卡，并持续注入更多的资金到美国的经济。很多人会购买房产，汽车，家庭装修及旅游安排，所有的这些都将注入更多资金到美国经济和给美国政府带来更多的销售税。

考虑到这些所有的因素，奥巴马政府要承诺效率化及扩大化EB-5方案。这个问题需要两个政党双方面的支持。如果共和党和民主党能够一起支持这个能为美国创造就业的方案，我们将又为美国经济的复苏迈进了一步。美国政府应当为此投票使这个方案成为永久并缩短移民投资者进入美国必须的程序的处理时间。

随着美国经济慢慢的进展，对此复苏程序至关紧要的EB-5方案不能够因为政治的不稳定而不贯彻下去。《奥兰多守望报》最好的表了态：“……毫无疑问EB-5方案是必须的–尤其是现在。”

请访问我们网站 www.FLregionalcenter.com 获得EB-5方案的更多信息。