Entrepreneurs in Residence – One Year Later

On May 8, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) released a summary and assessment of efforts taken during the first year of its Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) initiative.  Launched in February 2012 in Silicon Valley, the EIR initiative brought together startup experts and USCIS immigration experts to work collaboratively to streamline pathways for a range of existing visa categories often used by entrepreneurs. As stated by Director Alejandro Mayorkas, the goal of the EIR program is “to ensure that we capture the full potential of current immigration laws to attract and retain startup enterprises that promote innovation and create jobs in America…”. With the uncertainty that continues to surround comprehensive immigration reform, initiatives like EIR become all the more important.

Some of the highlights of the EIR initiative over the past year include:

• Nearly 30,000 visits to Entrepreneur Pathways, which was designed to help prospective entrepreneurs understand their immigration options and the related processes;
• Approximately 500 participants across the United States in USCIS’s entrepreneur-focused engagements;
• More than 400 USCIS employment-based immigration officers trained on startup businesses and the environment for early-stage innovation; and
• More than 100 USCIS officers receiving additional specialized training to handle entrepreneur and startup cases.

In efforts to expand the program, USCIS is “seeking new private sector experts, using the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Loaned Executive Program, in the areas of performing arts, health care and information technology.”  The purpose of seeking expert input into these industry sectors, which are a critical part of the country’s economy, is to provide the agency with insights into these areas, and help strengthen USCIS’s policies and practices in an informed manner.  It is anticipated that the range of industries will be broadened over time.

At the initiation, the EIR initiate set three key goals:  1) production of public materials intended to assist entrepreneurs in understanding the visa categories; 2) equipping Immigration Service adjudicators to process petitions in the context of the complex business environment; and the streamlining of USCIS policies toward better reflecting issues and realities encountered by foreign entrepreneurs and startup businesses.

Conclusion

While the full impact on EIR remains to be seen, USCIS continues to move away from policies that discourage high-skilled immigrants’ contributions to the economy. A broad and successful EIR program would ensure that the system is a magnet for both talented human capital and money. Please feel free to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to obtain developments on this and related topics. If our office can be of any help, please feel free to contact us.