For many people, merit-based immigration is most closely associated with the polemic H1-B visa program. There is another proven job creating merit-based program, however, that’s received little attention of late. The EB-5 or “investor visa” is one of several business-related visas that may be used as avenues leading to legal permanent residence in the United States. It is perhaps the purest expression of merit-based immigration. While it is criticized as citizenship for sale by some, and lauded as a job growth and economic development tool by others, the EB-5 trade group—Invest In the USA (IIUSA)—estimates that the program has resulted in $22 billion foreign direct investment in the U.S. since 2008, and has created 276,000 jobs.
Created in 1990 to Combat Recession
