The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA) created the infrastructure project category, offering investors access to dedicated visa set-asides. But CanAm’s infrastructure experience didn’t start in 2022.
While some regional centers (USCIS-designated entities that sponsor EB-5 projects) are marketing their “first” infrastructure project, CanAm has been executing government-partnered, public-benefit projects for decades. We weren’t learning infrastructure when the RIA passed. We were already doing it.
Quick Reference: Key EB-5 Terms
Regional Center: A USCIS-designated entity authorized to sponsor EB-5 projects
RIA: EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, which created the infrastructure project category
Job-Creating Entity: The organization legally responsible for creating the required jobs for EB-5 qualification
Public Works: Projects serving public benefit, such as transportation infrastructure, environmental remediation, or public facilities
Government Entity: A governmental body (municipality, development authority, joint powers agency) that administers an infrastructure project
CanAm’s Infrastructure Experience: Before the RIA Made It Official
There’s a fundamental difference between regional centers sponsoring their first infrastructure project in 2024 and those who have been partnering with government entities on public-benefit projects for decades.
CanAm falls into the latter category. The RIA didn’t create a new capability for us; it simply formalized what we’d already been doing.
Philadelphia Navy Yard: Blueprint for Government Partnership
CanAm’s first EB-5 project in 2003 launched the modern transformation of Philadelphia’s Navy Yard, partnering with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), the City’s public-private economic-development arm.
The Navy Yard required government entity partnership (PIDC), multi-agency coordination, and public benefit focus on job creation and economic revitalization. To date, the CanAm PIDC Regional Center has funded $715 million in EB-5 capital for over 30 Philadelphia projects, creating more than 20,000 jobs.
If evaluated under today’s RIA criteria, Navy Yard projects would clearly qualify: government entity administration, public works focus, and capital investment in infrastructure improvements.
Pennsylvania Convention Center Expansion: EB-5 Capital When It Counted
In 2008, the planned expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the largest economic development initiative in Commonwealth history, stalled when the financial crisis cut off conventional funding. CanAm raised $122 million in EB-5 capital through the PIDC Regional Center, partnering with public sector stakeholders to bridge the gap and keep the project moving.
The expansion required government entity partnership, multi-agency coordination, and a clear public benefit mandate. The completed facility drew visitors from across the country and the globe, spurred growth in surrounding hotels, restaurants, and tourism, and supported thousands of jobs across the region. Governor Ed Rendell later acknowledged that without the EB-5 program and CanAm’s involvement, the expansion would not have been completed.
SEPTA Key: Infrastructure Expertise in Action
In 2016, CanAm provided a $175 million EB-5 loan to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) through the PIDC Regional Center, financing the SEPTA Key, a major initiative to modernize fare collection and ticketing infrastructure serving nearly four million riders across Philadelphia and surrounding counties.
Like the Navy Yard, the project required deep government partnership, multi-agency coordination, and a clear public-benefit mandate. The loan was repaid in full by July 2019, all job creation requirements were met, and the majority of investors had already received their unconditional green cards by the time repayment was complete.
If evaluated under today’s RIA criteria, SEPTA Key would be a textbook infrastructure project: government entity administration, public works focus, and capital investment in critical transit infrastructure.
The Skills That Separate Experienced Infrastructure Regional Centers
Infrastructure projects require specialized capabilities that can’t be developed overnight.
Government Relationship Management
Working with government entities differs fundamentally from private developers. It requires understanding government timelines, building trust with public sector partners, navigating transparency requirements, and balancing public benefit with investor returns. CanAm’s 20-year partnership with PIDC demonstrates the long-term relationships that enable infrastructure success.
Regulatory Navigation & Multi-Stakeholder Coordination
Infrastructure projects involve coordination with multiple agencies: environmental regulatory bodies, planning authorities, economic development corporations, and oversight agencies. Managing these relationships while keeping projects on track requires experience first-time sponsors don’t have.
Conservative Project Selection
As Walter Gindin, CanAm’s General Counsel, explains: “We’re very careful in selecting projects and frankly passing on projects that didn’t squarely meet the definition or were borderline. We didn’t want to be the test case.”
Unlike rural or high-unemployment categories with clear geographic criteria, infrastructure requires careful analysis. CanAm only selects projects that “meet the definition very neatly and cleanly,” protecting investors by ensuring USCIS compliance from the outset.
Why This Matters: First-time infrastructure sponsors are learning critical skills on investor capital. CanAm refined them over decades.
CanAm’s Track Record: The Numbers Tell the Story
The Numbers That Matter
- 75+ projects
- 100% I-956F approvals post-RIA
- 35+ years of experience in immigration-linked investment funds
- 6,000+ families served
- $3.9B+ raised in EB-5 capital
- $2.5B+ repaid to investors
- Government partnerships spanning decades
- Infrastructure-type projects before RIA formalized the category
What These Numbers Mean
- 75+ projects represent extensive experience: Proven, repeatable success across diverse project types and market conditions.
- 100% approval since RIA demonstrates understanding of post-reform requirements and heightened compliance standards.
- $2.5 billion repaid reflects successful project completion and capital return—not just approval, but actual outcomes.
- 6,000 families demonstrate scale, separating established regional centers from newer entrants.
Five Questions to Ask When Choosing a Regional Center
Evaluating infrastructure regional centers requires looking beyond marketing claims to substantive experience. Here are the critical questions every investor should ask:
1. What is their pre-RIA infrastructure experience?
Ask:
- Have they partnered with government entities before the 2022 RIA?
- Do they have completed government-administered projects in their history?
- Or is this their first attempt at infrastructure?
Why it matters: Pre-RIA infrastructure experience demonstrates that a regional center has been successfully executing government-partnered, public-benefit projects for years, not pivoting to chase a new visa category.
2. What is the scale of their track record?
Ask:
- How many total projects have they submitted to USCIS?
- What is their approval rate actually based on: one project or dozens?
- How many projects have they successfully completed and repaid?
Why it matters: A perfect approval rate based on one project tells a very different story than the same percentage maintained across dozens of projects over nearly 30 years.
3. How do they approach project selection?
Ask:
- Do they pursue every opportunity or maintain rigorous standards?
- Are they willing to pass on borderline projects to protect investors?
- What does their due diligence process involve?
Why it matters: Conservative project selection protects investor interests. Regional centers willing to sponsor any project to raise capital put investors at risk.
4. What government relationships do they have?
Ask:
- Can they demonstrate established, long-term partnerships with government entities?
- Do they have experience navigating public sector requirements?
- Have they successfully coordinated multi-agency regulatory approvals?
Why it matters: Government partnerships can’t be built overnight. Established relationships indicate experience and credibility with public sector partners.
5. What expertise does their team bring?
Ask:
- Do they have in-house legal counsel?
- How many years of combined EB-5 experience does their team have?
- Have they navigated both pre-RIA and post-RIA regulatory environments?
Why it matters: Infrastructure projects are complex. They require experienced teams who understand both EB-5 regulations and government partnership dynamics.
Choose Experience. Choose Infrastructure Expertise. Choose CanAm.
The infrastructure project category may be new, but CanAm’s infrastructure expertise isn’t.
With government partnerships spanning decades, more than 75 projects across diverse industries and locations, and a proven track record of protecting investor interests through conservative project selection, CanAm offers infrastructure experience that predates the category itself.
The difference? Other regional centers are learning infrastructure projects; CanAm has been executing them for decades.
Our partnership with PIDC on the Philadelphia Navy Yard transformation began in 2003. Since then, CanAm has successfully worked with government entities, navigated complex regulatory environments, and delivered results for both communities and investors.
When your immigration journey and financial future are at stake, choose a regional center with proven infrastructure expertise, not one attempting it for the first time.
Ready to Learn More?
Contact CanAm Investor Services to discuss how CanAm’s infrastructure project expertise and current opportunities can support your immigration and investment goals.
Phone: 646-825-8710
Email: info@canamenterprises.com
Web: www.canamenterprises.com
