It can, but only through positions inside the enterprise. An investment not associated with a regional center must create at least ten full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers directly, without relying on indirect or induced employment calculated through economic models.
The job model, not the investment amount, usually decides a direct case
People approach this route thinking the hard part is the money, and for many direct investors it is not. Ten full-time payroll positions is a substantial operation in most sectors, and a venture designed around efficiency and automation can meet every capital requirement while never approaching the headcount. The realistic first exercise is to write out the intended organization chart with hours attached and see whether ten genuine full-time roles exist in it. If they do not, the venture may need a different scale or a different structure, or the family may be looking at a regional-center investment instead, with the very different passivity and control that implies. A licensed U.S. immigration attorney should assess the specific plan, including which investment amount applies.
A first review should test the business plan against the immigration structure before money is transferred. Identify the new commercial enterprise, the source and path of capital, the job-creation model, and the dates on which each element can be evidenced. EB-5 capital must be placed at risk and the plan must support the required jobs; approval leads first to conditional permanent residence, not an immediate final result. Hypothetical example: A prefabricated-housing company plans to rely heavily on robotics and only four full-time operators. The organization chart may show early that the employment model needs redesign before the capital plan is treated as viable.