The IMC Bulletin Issue 1, 2016

High net worth individual (HNWI) wealth is expected to reach a record US$64.3 trillion by 2016 . Of that, predictions show almost US$12 trillion is new HNWI wealth, fostered by robust expansion in most regions. Symmetry can be seen between this HNWI growth and applicant numbers to global investor migration programmes over 2015, suggesting… Read more >

After many different attempts to control the influx of Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (“QIIP”) applications, the Quebec immigration department has renewed the intake of QIIP applications under a quota system allocated to financial intermediaries (“Quota System”) for a second year. Set at 1,750 applications (with a limit of 1,200 from a single country), this year’s quota will be… Read more >

The U.S. EB-5 green card by investment program is on the verge of the most significant legislative changes in more than two decades. Established in 1990, the program has been virtually unchanged for more than two decades. The central focus of the program is job creation – the foreign national’s investment must create 10 jobs for U.S. citizens or create 10 jobs for U.S. citizens or permanent residents. There are two types of EB-5 investments… Read more >

In the last 10 days, I have met with no less than four people whose companies are relocating them to the United States. These people are being asked to relocate for periods of up to three years, with the possibility that the assignment could be extended further. There are a number of issues that arise when an individual…
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It appears that Congress will extend the regional center part of the EB-5 immigrant investor program until September 30, 2016, without any changes. After more than six months of efforts to reform the program in exchange for a five-year reauthorization, on December 15 Congress instead opted for a nine-month extension without changes. This article explains what almost happened, what it means for EB-5 projects in 2016, and what might happen… Read more >

Massive migration from China took place starting from the early 19th century right into 1950s, mainly driven by starvation and invasions from foreign countries. After 1980 however, an increasing number of Chinese migrate overseas with the implementation of a liberal migration policies. The majority of emigrants are China’s richest… Read more >

The Significant Investor Visa (SIV) programme is Australia’s main path to residency for international investors. Investors must invest a minimum of Aus$5 million over 4 years in “approved” investments after which time they receive permanent residency. A Premium Investor Visa (“PIV”) is also available and is aimed at attracting applicants with… Read more >

NZ businesses will need more than $420b in capital by 2025 to support export growth to achieve the Government’s ambitious “Growth Agenda”. KPMG analysis suggests there will be a shortfall of around $115b that will need to be funded by foreign investment. There is evidence that start-up and early stage NZ businesses are likely to face the most severe… Read more >

In 2016, Canada’s business immigration Start-Up Visa program is expected to become a more popular financing option for start-up companies across Canada. Over the past few years, Canada’s long standing federal business immigration programs were largely eliminated with the cancelation of… Read more >

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is keen on better understanding the boon that investor-category migrants provide the country, an area it doesn’t yet measure beyond gauging the minimum entry requirements. Deputy chief executive labour, science and enterprise Paul Stocks told Parliament’s commerce… Read more >

DESPITE what Donald Trump may think, America is not always an easy place for a foreigner to breeze into. Anyone who has braved the immigration queue at JFK will testify to that. But entering the country might be about to become tougher. In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks by IS, America is looking to tighten its visa-waiver programme. Read more >

The Invest In the USA (IIUSA) Board of Directors has voted unanimously in support of a bipartisan, bicameral agreement among the chairmen and ranking members of both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees to reform and reauthorize the EB-5 Regional Center Program (the “Program”). Read more >

Presenting the country’s budget, PM and Minister of Finance, Timothy Harries told the Parliament that “Non-tax revenue is expected to be the main contributor to the favourable outturn when compared to the budget, as fees from the CBI programme will most certainly surpass the estimate for 2015 by a whopping 42.3 per cent.” In November 2015, authorities announced that… Read more >

On Jan. 1, 2016, Saint Lucia will begin the sale of citizenships to wealthy investors. The announcement was made by the country’s Prime Minister in Monaco last week. In the Caribbean, countries like Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis are tapping into new investment and revenue streams through economic citizenship. Economic citizenship refers to… Read more >