"높은 실업률을 바탕으로 지정된 Targeted Employment Area 지역은 어떤 근거로 지정되는가? 또한 TEA 지역으로 지정된 후 혹시나 정식영주권 신청 때 TEA 지역에 해당이 안되면, 어떻게 되나요" 라는 질문을 가끔 하십니다.

첫째, 아래의 미이민국 규정에 의하여 높은 실업률을 바탕으로 TEA 지역으로 지정됩니다. 만약 I-526 투자이민 청원서 통과 시 TEA 지역으로 지정된 지역이 나중에 정식영주권 때는 TEA 지역에 해당이 안된다고 해도, I-526 투자이민 청원서 신청 시에만 TEA 지역으로 인정을 받았다면 그 후에 변화가 있어서 TEA 지역이 아니라도 영향이 없습니다. 즉, 투자이민 청원서 신청 시에만 TEA 지역으로 인정받으면 괜찮습니다. 이 점은 모든 TEA 지역 프로그램들에게 해당됩니다.

"6) If applicable, to show that the new commercial enterprise has created or will create employment in a targeted employment area, the petition must be accompanied by:

(i) In the case of a rural area, evidence that the new commercial enterprise is principally doing business within a civil jurisdiction not located within any standard metropolitan statistical area as designated by the Office of Management and Budget, or within any city or town having a population of 20,000 or more as based on the most recent decennial census of the United States; or

(ii) In the case of a high unemployment area:

(A) Evidence that the metropolitan statistical area, the specific county within a metropolitan statistical area, or the county in which a city or town with a population of 20,000 or more is located, in which the new commercial enterprise is principally doing business has experienced an average unemployment rate of 150 percent of the national average rate; or

(B) A letter from an authorized body of the government of the state in which the new commercial enterprise is located which certifies that the geographic or political subdivision of the metropolitan statistical area or of the city or town with a population of 20,000 or more in which the enterprise is principally doing business has been designated a high unemployment area. The letter must meet the requirements of 8 CFR 204.6(i)."

8 CFR 204.6(i) 조항은 아래와 같습니다.

"i) State designation of a high unemployment area. The state government of any state of the United States may designate a particular geographic or political subdivision located within a metropolitan statistical area or within a city or town having a population of 20,000 or more within such state as an area of high unemployment (at least 150 percent of the national average rate). Evidence of such designation, including a description of the boundaries of the geographic or political subdivision and the method or methods by which the unemployment statistics were obtained, may be provided to a prospective alien entrepreneur for submission with Form I-526. Before any such designation is made, an official of the state must notify the Associate Commissioner for Examinations of the agency, board, or other appropriate governmental body of the state which shall be delegated the authority to certify that the geographic or political subdivision is a high unemployment area."