This is a pilot program designed primarily for international students who want to become entrepreneurs and seek information about starting their own companies in the United States. This program is being proposed as an alternative form of U.S. employment for students on OPT or other work-related visas.
News Articles and Regulations
International Students and Entrepreneurship
In October 2011, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director Alejandro Mayorkas announced the Entrepreneurs in Residence initiative. This initiative will help "harness industry expertise from the public and private sectors and increase the job creation potential of employment-based and high-skilled visa categories" by allowing F-1 students to start a business that is directly related to their major area of study and giving them a financial stake in its success.
Entrepreneur Pathways
Entrepreneur Pathways was developed by the Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) Tactical Team at USCIS. Entrepreneur Pathways is designed to enhance communications with the entrepreneurial community and provide foreign entrepreneurs with the tools and information they need to determine which visa category is most appropriate for their particular circumstances.
Foreign Students Wanting to Start a Business in the U.S.
This blog post explains how F1 students can pursue an entrepreneurial road while building a business in the United States.
Starting a Business as an International Student by Babson College
Starting a business in the United States requires a lot of legal documentation. Starting a business as an international student is even harder, as visa requirements are complex. To help students who face this issue, Steven R. London from Pepper Hamilton and Lesley Hauser from O'Neill & Hauser P.C. hosted a panel on what to consider when starting a venture as an international student in the United States. This blog post is a recap of what was discussed. If you are an international student entrepreneur, make sure to seek legal counsel.
Starting a Business as a Foreign National
Breaking into the U.S. market can be a rewarding venture for many foreign businesses. Because U.S. citizenship and residency are not required, foreign nationals can start or expand businesses on U.S. soil without facing much more red tape than an American-born business owner would.
Reforming Immigration Law to Allow More Foreign Student Entrepreneurs to Launch Job-Creating Ventures in the United States
U.S. colleges and universities are seeing increasing numbers of international students with a passion for entrepreneurship, and many of those students want to start new ventures in the United States. However, current immigration laws make it difficult — if not impossible — for these budding innovators to establish start-ups while in school or to remain in the country after graduation to grow their companies and create jobs that could bolster the U.S. economy.
IRS Tax Information for International Businesses
This website offers tax information for international businesses.
Starting, Operating, or Closing a Business
Starting a business can be exciting. If you're considering starting a business, start here. The IRS provides resources ranging from a checklist for a new business to information on selecting a business structure and more.
Navigating Employment Based Visas for Start-Ups
Start-ups often seek to hire highly educated employees with degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and science) fields to compete with established businesses. Postgraduate international students have emerged as the leading source of talent for start-ups, as nearly one third (more than 330,000) of all international students are enrolled in STEM degree programs at U.S. universities. However, the lack of a true "start-up visa" makes hiring postgraduate international students and other foreign nationals difficult. The three most common employment-based visas used in staffing emerging companies are H-1B, E-2, and L-1 visas. This article briefly describes the three most common pitfalls faced by postgraduate international students in these employment-based visa categories in relation to employment by start-ups.
Executive Actions on Immigration — USCIS
On November 20, 2014, the president announced a series of executive actions designed to "crack down on illegal immigration at the border, prioritize deporting felons not families, and require certain undocumented immigrants to pass a criminal background check and pay taxes in order to temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation." These initiatives include "modernizing, improving, and clarifying immigrant and nonimmigrant visa programs to grow our economy and create jobs."
Governor Cuomo Launches New Global NY Initiatives to Attract International Investment and Trade to New York
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo launched new Global NY initiatives — including the $35 million Global NY Development Fund and trade missions to Mexico, Canada, Italy, China, and Israel — to help create new jobs in our state and attract international business investment to New York.