Policy Brief Template - Reinvigorating the International Entrepreneur Program - Recommendations to Improve Efficiency and Clarity

Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is working to revive the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER), an initiative aimed at allowing immigrant entrepreneurs to come to the United States to start their businesses. [...] First put in place in 2017, the IER was intend- ed to accept 3,000 applicants, but due to inefficiencies, the program To learn more about approved only 1 applicant in its first 2 years. [...] This tool will standardize the IER application review processes and expedite the time it takes for adjudicators to review applications. [...] BACKGROUND/PROBLEM There are two key barriers that dissuade entrepreneurs from apply- ing to the IER: (1) a lack of clarity around the application criteria and adjudication process; and (2) a lack of transparency about ap- plication timelines and status updates after an application has been submitted. [...] RECOMMENDATIONS To reinvigorate applicant interest in the IER, we recommend that US- CIS improve the adjudication process by building an IER application ABOUT THE TECH processing tool (i.e., an “adjudication wizard”) and an associated POLICY PRIMER standard operating procedure.