Green card

Nonimmigrant visa

Immigrant Investor Program

Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers

Entrepreneurs, Business owners, Investors

Landscapers, Hospitality workers, Construction workers, Technicians, Retail staff

• Invest personal funds of $800,000 in Targeted Employment Areas (TEA), such as rural or high-unemployment areas and certain infrastructure projects, or $1,050,000 in non-TEA areas.

• Create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers.

• Provide detailed documentation verifying the lawful source and transfer path of the investment funds.

• Maintain the investment for a minimum of two years.

• Employers must demonstrate a temporary need, which is limited to up to three years for a one-time need or 10 months for seasonal, peak load, or intermittent needs.

• Employers must provide evidence that there are no U.S. workers who are willing, qualified, and able to perform the temporary work.

• Employers must certify that hiring H-2B workers will not negatively impact the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.

• The only visa category that provides immigration status based on passive investment.

• Does not require employer sponsorship, offering significant flexibility.

• No specific educational or professional qualifications are required.

• Allows for investment directly into new or existing businesses or through regional centers that pool funds for larger projects.

• The only employment-based category allowing concurrent Green Card application filing for all nationalities.

• Does not focus on individual credentials, making it accessible to a wide range of applicants.

• Allows U.S. employers to address temporary labor shortages in non-agricultural sectors.

• Flexible in meeting seasonal, peak load, and intermittent labor needs.

• Requires a substantial financial investment.

• The investment must be at risk, and job creation requirements must be met.

• Initially issued a two-year conditional Green Card, requiring a subsequent application to demonstrate continued compliance with the program requirements.

• Subject to semi-annual quotas and a rigid lottery-based application process.

• Employers must undergo a rigorous certification process to prove the unavailability of U.S. workers.

• Spouses and dependents do not receive work authorization.

Not required

Required

Permanent residency

Duration of labor certification, up to 1 year, renewable for a total of up to 3 years

Every 10 years

Renewable up to 3 years

6-24 months¹

5-6 months

No

15 business days

Yes

No

¹Timeframe to obtain conditional residence, with a similar timeframe for achieving permanent residence.

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