Read the general immigrant investor briefing overview
A hypothetical Leduc County household may compare direct EB-5 investment in a staffed business with Gold Card sponsorship. Keep the commercial job evidence separate from the official government-gift process and the family’s eligibility.
Test the direct EB-5 employment plan
At least ten qualifying permanent full-time jobs per investor are required. A genuine shared full-time position meeting the weekly hours requirement can count as one position; unrelated part-time roles cannot simply be combined. Check qualifying employee exclusions and the applicable evidence method. Current capital is US$1,050,000 or US$800,000 for a qualifying targeted employment area or infrastructure project, with statutory adjustments beginning January 1, 2027. Lawful at-risk capital and managerial or policy engagement remain necessary.
Read the separate Gold Card terms
Current official terms require US$15,000 nonrefundable processing per person and, after successful vetting, a US$1 million individual principal gift or US$2 million gift per corporate-sponsored employee. Each intended eligible joining spouse or unmarried child under 21 adds US$15,000 and US$1 million, including in corporate cases, with initial inclusion recommended. Corporate terms include 1% annual maintenance and 5% transfer with a new background check; replacement approval is not automatic. The immigrant outcome uses EB-1 or EB-2 as appropriately determined, subject to eligibility, admissibility and visa availability.
Preserve the family and later-process distinctions
Hiring an investor’s child does not make that child a qualifying direct EB-5 employee. Nor does a Gold Card payment universally freeze a child’s age for derivative eligibility. Assess the actual family circumstances. EB-5 conditional residence and the later I-829 process are separate milestones, with I-829 generally filed in the 90 days before the second anniversary. Neither commercial hiring nor government payment grants current work permission by itself. Conditional residence begins at immigrant admission or adjustment approval, not at investment or petition approval.
What else is on your mind?
Does an EB-5 immigration review tell me whether an investment is good?Is the Gold Card another name for EB-5?Should I assume one Gold Card payment covers my family?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.
- USCIS — EB-5 investor program
- USCIS — business and investment visa overview
- Official U.S. government Gold Card FAQ
- USCIS — Child Status Protection Act
- Department of State — Visa Bulletin
- Current capital statute — 8 USC 1153(b)(5)
- Direct full-time employment definition — 8 CFR 204.6(e), not obsolete capital figures
- USCIS I-829 instructions