March 17, 2009

E-Verify and EB-5 Regional Center Pilot Programs Extended through September 30, 2009

On March 12, 2009, both the EB-5 Regional Center Pilot Program and E-Verify Program were extended through September 30, 2009 after the signing of the “Fiscal 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill” (H.R. 1105).

The EB-5 Regional Center Pilot Program allows foreign nationals, who invest at least $500,000 in one of the designated Regional Centers, to apply for Permanent Resident Status. The program provides foreign nationals seeking to obtain permanent resident status with an alternative to the labor certification process, as the backlog for other employment-based green card categories continues to grow.

E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees. E-Verify is free and voluntary and continues to add employers weekly. For more information about the E-Verify program, follow this link (http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/EB-5_12mar09.pdf).