EB5

How to Choose an EB-5 Regional Center

09/10/2026 EB5 7 min read

How to Choose an EB-5 Regional Center: The Standards IMM Group Applies to Protect Your Green Card and Your Capital

July 15, 2025 · EB-5 · 13 min read

In the EB-5 immigrant investor program, more than 90% of investors invest indirectly through a regional center — an entity designated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to raise and manage EB-5 capital for economic development projects that create jobs in the United States. In this model you do not transfer capital directly to the project; you invest through the regional center, and you depend entirely on how that regional center selects and monitors projects.

The regional center is therefore the decisive link in whether your petition is approved, whether the required jobs are created, and whether your capital can be repaid later. Its transparency, capability, and commitment to staying with investors can shape either the success or the risk of your family’s entire EB-5 green card journey.

Not every regional center, however, operates transparently or puts investors’ interests first. That is why knowing how to choose an EB-5 regional center matters: in practice, many EB-5 risks stem from picking the wrong one — capital deployed without adequate controls, weak projects, insufficient job creation, or unclear repayment terms, any of which can lead to a denied petition or financial loss.

IMM Group therefore applies one unwavering principle to its partnerships:

“Not every regional center can become an IMM partner. We work only with firms that are genuinely reputable and transparent, and that have the capability to stay with investors through the green card process and the repayment of capital.”

What standards does IMM Group apply when selecting a regional center?

Drawing on more than 21 years of investment migration advisory experience, IMM Group has built its own criteria for selecting EB-5 regional center partners, with the aim of protecting investors’ interests and capital as fully as possible:

Transparency in capital management

The regional center must have mandatory audit requirements, transparent reporting, and oversight by an independent fund administrator.
The full path of the capital — deployment, redeployment, and repayment — must be clear, verifiable, and traceable.

A long operating history and a proven repayment track record

We work only with regional centers that have a documented repayment track record and have already completed multiple rounds of repayments to investors.
We give priority to firms with high approval rates on Form I-526E, Immigrant Petition by Regional Center Investor (Form I-526 for investors outside the regional center program), which leads to a conditional green card, and on Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status, which leads to a permanent green card. Strong approval rates indicate that their projects genuinely create the jobs USCIS requires.

How we select projects: disciplined, risk-aware, and realistic

Projects must have complete legal documentation, with construction permits and other required approvals either already issued or validly in process.
Developers must have sound financial capacity and a record of delivering projects of comparable scale.
We exclude projects that rely too heavily on EB-5 capital, that are disproportionately large, or whose feasibility is weak.

Long-term partnership and accountability to the end

The regional center must commit to staying with investors from the investment stage through to repayment.
It must have an investor relations team that provides regular project updates and hands-on support when issues arise — a Request for Evidence (RFE) from USCIS, a change of project, or a redeployment of capital.
It must have the capability to handle distressed situations if they arise, together with a contingency plan to defend investors’ interests even when market conditions turn.

Why IMM Group has worked with EB5 Capital and CanAm for more than a decade

IMM Group does not partner indiscriminately with a long list of regional centers. We work only with firms whose core values match ours: transparency, realism, and putting investors’ interests first.

Across its work with EB-5 investors, IMM Group has partnered longest with two regional centers: EB5 Capital and CanAm Enterprises — not simply because they are well-known names in the EB-5 industry, but because they meet every criterion IMM Group sets.

EB5 Capital— an established regional center with a substantial track record

Founded in 2008, EB5 Capital has launched more than 45 EB-5 projects across multiple U.S. states, and reports consistently high petition and project approval rates across that portfolio.
It invests only in the sectors it knows best, where its expertise and operating experience are deepest, rather than following market trends.
Its process is thorough and clearly documented, with regular, transparent updates for investors.
According to EB5 Capital, it has completed 13 repayments to investors — evidence of both financial capacity and follow-through.
When problems have arisen, EB5 Capital has prioritized the outcome most favorable to investors — a reflection of accountability and professional standards throughout a project’s life.

CanAm Enterprises— one of the longest-established firms in the EB-5 industry, with a track record built on completed EB-5 projects

With more than 35 years in residency and citizenship by investment, CanAm reports having raised over US$3.7 billion in EB-5 capital across more than 70 projects.
It is known as the regional center with one of the largest repayment records in the industry: according to CanAm, 52 projects and US$2.5 billion have been repaid to EB-5 investors, with repayments made on schedule.
More than 70 EB-5 projects approved by USCIS, on CanAm’s reporting.
A rigorous, transparent project due diligence process, designed to identify and document project risk throughout an investor’s participation in the EB-5 program.
Beyond investment performance, CanAm reports a substantial contribution to the U.S. economy: more than 100,000 qualifying jobs created through its EB-5 projects and more than US$15 billion contributed to the national economy.

IMM Group — a lasting partner, aligned with investors’ interests

By working closely with established regional centers such as EB5 Capital and CanAm Enterprises, IMM Group holds to its commitment: to deliver solutions and stand alongside clients through the residency by investment process in a structured, lawful, and well-governed way, built to last.

A pioneer with more than 21 years of hands-on experience in Vietnam, IMM Group does more than advise — we build global investment and citizenship solutions on:

Strong due diligence and risk management: Having successfully handled hundreds of cases, including complex ones, we conduct multi-layered project due diligence and defend investors’ interests rigorously, including through periods of market stress.
In-depth professional consulting and full transparency: IMM Group advisors and case managers hold the Certification in Investment Migration, Cert (IM), awarded by the Investment Migration Council (IMC). Our team analyzes benefits and risks in full, so you can make decisions based on complete and accurate information. We put our clients’ long-term interests first.
Integrity and commitment every step of the way: Guided by our philosophy, “Serving with Authentic Values,” IMM Group stays with you from the first step until you have settled in your new country. Integrity is our foundation, reflected in our readiness to stand up for clients’ interests and, as set out in the contract, to proactively refund service fees when risks beyond the client’s control arise.
Receiving and giving back: Since 2025, IMM Group has operated as a nonprofit enterprise, committing at least 50% of its annual profits to the Be Better Fund. By choosing IMM Group, you also help hundreds of school and university students facing exceptional hardship gain a chance to change their lives.

If you are considering the EB-5 immigrant investor program, speak with an IMM Group advisor. Our experienced team will walk you through the detail and help assess the likelihood of success for your case. We keep your personal data confidential and use the information you provide only to advise on your family’s application.

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