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The number of people from other countries -- especially China -- who want to invest in the United States in exchange for a permanent resident visa reached its highest level in 2015. The program is known as EB-5 or Employment-Based Fifth Initiative. It was created in 1990 during the presidency of George W. Bush and supported by both major political parties. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services says the program gives permanent resident status to those who invest at least $1,000,000 in a new project “that will create or preserve at least ten full-time jobs in the United States” within about two years. The agency says a foreign citizen needs to invest just “$500,000 if the (project) is in a targeted employment area,” which includes some rural areas and areas with high joblessness. Critics of the program say much of the investment takes place in wealthy cities like Dallas, New York and Washington.
* the number of ~ = ~의 수/ invest in ~ = ~에 투자하다 in exchange for ~ = ~ 대신의, 교환으로/ permanent resident visa = 영주권/ initiative = 계획; 진취성; 주도(권)/ status = (법적) 신분[자격]; (사회적) 지위/ preserve = 지키다[보호하다]/ joblessness = 실직, 무직/ critic = 비평가, 평론가
The USCIS reported there were 17,691 requests for EB-5 visas in 2015. In 2013 there were 6,554 requests. Experts say the reason for the sharp increase last year is rich people were worried that the program would be cancelled. But in December, it was extended for 10 months. The USCIS told Congress that an estimated “$8.7 billion has been invested into the U.S. economy through the EB-5 program since October 1, 2012.” It estimates “35,140 jobs have been created for U.S. workers through foreign investment via the EB-5 program.” The Wall Street Journal newspaper recently reported that more than 80 percent of the EB-5 visas are given to Chinese investors. The newspaper reports many investors are given two or three visas and use them to give family members permanent resident status.
* expert = 전문가/ estimate = 추산[추정]하다/ foreign investment = 해외[대외] 투자
