The International Entrepreneur Rule, Explained

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It’s no secret that immigrant entrepreneurs have always made exceptional contributions to America’s economy, in communities all across the country. Immigrants have helped start as many as one of every four small businesses and high-tech startups across America, and the majority of those in Silicon Valley. More than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or the children of immigrants, and the majority of today’s unicorns (private companies valued at over $1 billion) have an immigrant co-founder. Yet none of these immigrant entrepreneurs came to America on a visa designed for startup founders—because Congress never created one. Instead, entrepreneurial people have come here through pathways designed for students (Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX), family members (Pierre Omidyar, eBay), workers (Adi Tatarko, Houzz), or refugees (Sergei Brin, Google). Subscribe now to never miss a beat in immigration news! We’ll be in touch. But in an era when America can no longer be co

What is the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER)? The IER allows foreign entrepreneurs to be paroled into the U.S. for up to 5 years (split into two 30-month terms) if they can demonstrate that their startup has the potential for rapid growth, job creation, and a significant public benefit to the U.S. economy. Introduced in 2017, the IER fills a gap for startup founders who do not qualify for other visa categories like the H-1B or O-1 visas. It’s not a visa but a temporary status called “parole,” granted at the discretion of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).…

The International Entrepreneur Rule, Explained

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