When you invest in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, the requisite investment amount is reduced from $1.05 million to only $800,000. A TEA is defined as an area that is for economic development and could be in one of two categories: a high-unemployment area where the unemployment rate is at least 150% of the national average, or a rural area outside of a metropolitan statistical area and a town with a population over 20,000. The reduced investment level is designed to incentivize foreign investments in economically distressed areas and foster local economies through job creation and development. To receive the deduction in required investment level, investors must provide proof that their investment is in a TEA. Many EB-5 investments in TEAs are made through USCIS-approved Regional Centers that pool investments for large-scale projects such as real estate development projects or infrastructure projects. The TEA incentive not only lowers the required EB-5 investment level but also incentivizes economic renewal in neglected areas.