Jaensch Immigration Law Firm, the largest immigration law firm on Florida’s Gulf Coast and one of the nation’s specialists in sports immigration has partnered with Special Olympics Florida. The law firm will be sponsoring and volunteering with Special Olympics athletes for the 2013-2014 season.
“Working with Special Olympics seemed like a great way for us to become more charitably involved in the community,” said P. Christopher Jaensch, managing partner of Jaensch Immigration Law Firm. “Since we work directly with athletes from around the world we figured this would be a good fit,” he continued.
Jaensch Immigration Law Firm is one of the nation’s leading experts in sports immigration. Their clients include local tennis players and national-level competitors. They are often sought out for their opinion on sports immigration matters by Olympians, US Open entrants, and other star athletes.
The firm has sponsored a Special Olympics athlete for one year and volunteered at the latest Special Olympics event, a bowling competition. “They all bowl much better than I,” said firm employee Michael Marquet. “They were really impressive,” he continued.
The law firm plans to assist with more Special Olympics events in the future. The next Special Olympics event is the regional bowling competition on September 28th in Bradenton.
Please see photos of the bowling competition below.
Special Olympics athletes prepare for their competition
Firm employee Michael Marquet with several impressive bowlers
Sarasota will be getting more attention than usual this year at A Place in the Sun, the British property exhibition show that seeks to lure home buyers and investors to warmer climes. Florida is the 3rd most popular destination for British second-home buyers according to Ian Harding, a Sarasota immigrant and residential and commercial realtor. The British expat spoke with ImmigrationSarasota.com during his preparations for the upcoming exhibition. He revealed that most British home-buyers are not as aware of Sarasota and the Gulf Coast as they are of Orlando or Miami. This creates a hidden opportunity for Mr. Harding. Part of the reason for the lack of awareness is traditionally there has been only a limited number of realtors marketing the Sarasota area at A Place in the Sun. The addition of Mr. Harding this year will increase the number of representatives of the Sarasota area.
Mr. Harding himself is an immigrant entrepreneur who came to America to live and work. He bought a business, obtained a realtor license and became a business broker. Now he is showing other UK residents how they can do something similar.
Mr. Harding hails from Newcastle where he obtained his MBA while working for one of the UK’s largest utility companies. From there he went on to work for Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet’s famous investment firm, before moving to the United States to start his own business. Berkshire Hathaway prides itself on its candor and this virtue rubbed off on Mr. Harding during his time there. Now that he is a business owner himself he treats all his clients with the same high level of candor and respect that he learned at Berkshire, with equally impressive results.
Mr. Harding has expanded from a residential realtor to a business broker. He now helps UK residents buy their home and business on the Gulf. He specializes in helping clients who want to live and work in America. He reports that for the same amount as would be spent on an average home in Europe or the UK, Britons can buy a larger home and a business in the US. This way they could possibly qualify for an investor visa which would enable them to come and go from the country at will. Moreover, it would give them an income stream here in the US.
We are certain that Mr. Harding will represent Sarasota with honor and candor this year at A Place in the Sun and we wish him all the best.
To contact Mr. Harding about a business or residential opportunity call 941-725-1468 or send an email to ian.harding@kw.com.
This article is reposted from Miami radio station WLRN’s website.
Florida college and university presidents are calling on Congress to pass immigration reform this year, saying it would be better for the state’s economy if foreign students could stay after graduation, instead of being forced to take their diplomas and leave.
The “brain drain” of U.S.-educated foreign students is worrying economic and education leaders who say the students soon become competitors.
In a conference call with reporters Monday, University of Miami President Donna Shalala said a high percentage of non-citizens earn degrees in the high-paying STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – and then depart.
“Half of all of Ph.D. and masters students in the STEM fields in our research universities are students who come from other countries,” Shalala said. “Many of them would like to stay, and we need immigration reform to give them that opportunity and to capture the talent that we’re educating.”
In a Sept. 16 letter to Florida’s Congressional delegation, Shalala and the other presidents wrote that in 2009, 53 percent of students earning masters or doctoral degrees in STEM fields from Florida’s research-intensive universities were non-citizens. More than 60 percent of students earning recent doctorates in engineering were non-citizens.
“As soon as we hand them their diploma, we also basically are handing them an airline ticket and saying, ‘Thanks very much for coming here – go home,'” said Ed Moore, president of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida.
What’s worse, he said, is that those students usually end up working for Florida’s competitors in the global economy.
“Say they’re from China. They may end up being hired by a company in Brazil or a company in Italy or a company in England,” Moore said. “They go there and work to compete against American industry on the global market. It makes absolutely no sense.”
The Democratic-led U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill in June. It includes a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, a temporary worker program and more visas for skilled non-citizens. But the measure is stalled in the Republican-led House of Representatives.
Conservative opposition is fierce. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has played a leading role in the debate, was booed at the Americans for Prosperity conference in Orlando last month, taking the stage to shouts of “No amnesty!” – a reference to allowing illegal immigrants to become U.S citizens.
But Anthony Catanese, president of the Florida Institute of Technology, said he doesn’t see the issue as a political one.
“Getting these young people to the highest level of American technological education and then making them return – I think we should see that as a non-controversial reason for getting the STEM graduates, especially at the graduate level, to have an opportunity to work for the United States and put them on a path toward citizenship,” Catanese said.
In their letter to Florida’s U.S. House members, the presidents noted that a recent study by the Partnership for a New American Economy and the American Enterprise Institute found that for every 100 foreign-born graduates of a U.S. graduate program who stay in the country, working in a STEM field, 262 jobs are created for American workers.
“Immigrants are more than twice as likely to start a business, and immigrant-owned businesses in Florida generate about $13.3 billion in income for the state each year,” they wrote. “But in Florida our share of foreign-born STEM advanced degree holders working in STEM fields decreased by 17 percent between 2000 and 2010.”
Moore said that many House members have said they have too many other issues on their plates to deal with immigration reform.
“That’s nonsense,” he said. “I know they’re busy in Syria and all these other issues, but immigration should stay on the front burner of Congressional action this year.”
This article, reposted from the Sarasota Observer, is about the skilled labor shortfall in construction and compliments our earlier repost on this subject. We hope that immigrants and potential immigrants to the Sarasota area find this information useful.
Area contractors, such as Sutter Roofing Company, contracted for the Sarasota County Courthouse roof-replacement project, report that a labor shortage in the construction industry could raise building prices and slow the pace of area growth.
When the economy derailed in 2008, Doug Sutter, vice president of Sutter Roofing Co., made a tough choice. He decided to keep as many of his workers employed as possible through the lean years of the Great Recession, sacrificing his bottom line to keep a firm grip on what he predicted would one day be a limited commodity — skilled labor.
“We really did a good job of trying to keep our core guys through the downturn,” Sutter said. “We tried to find ways to keep guys busy because we knew finding skilled labor would be a problem coming out of the recession. We saw this coming.”
After five years of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a shortage of skilled labor threatens to take the wind out of the sails of Sarasota’s resurrected construction industry. The problem is that a lack of workers threatens to drive up construction costs and limit the amount of projects contractors are able to tackle.
“I hope we can keep the boom going, but we have to get more people into the industry,” Sutter said. “The labor shortage is a big, big concern, particularly in skilled labor.”
The construction industry in Sarasota County is considered a bellwether for the area’s economy and a driver of economic growth. According to a county report, property tax revenue is projected to increase by about $6 million next year, due to a 4.2% increase in property values countywide. And many area businesses and lawmakers point to a new round of development projects popping up around the county as an indication that Sarasota’s economy is on the mend. But the skilled-labor shortfall could limit the economic benefits of resurgent development and add uncertainty to government budgets.
Mary Slapp, executive director of the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange, acknowledged that an increase in building costs may affect the scale of new projects, but said the real casualty of the labor shortfall will be the pace of growth.
“I hear from the general contractors that they’re not going to bid because they don’t have the labor,” Slapp said.
Brian Jones, director of development for Core Construction, said he noticed smaller sub-contractors turning down jobs, but it wasn’t until CECO Concrete Construction, the nation’s largest concrete subcontractor, stopped taking new jobs in Florida for 2014 that the scale of the problem became apparent.
“That caught us off guard,” Jones said. “We didn’t expect a contractor as big as that to start canceling jobs.”
The problem is one of supply and demand. In 2006, prior to the downturn, the Sarasota County area construction industry employed more than 32,000 workers, according to Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO) data. But the recession hit Sarasota’s construction industry hard. By 2010, the construction workforce slimmed down by more than half, dipping below 15,000 workers. And, despite the recent development rebound, the industry workforce has been stuck at around 15,000 for the past two years and shows little to no signs of growth. The FDEO reports that Sarasota’s construction workforce was 15,600 in July 2013 — a 3.2% drop from July 2012.
“These things have a way of working themselves out,” Jones said, referring to the labor shortage. “But it means prices will have to go up.”
Slapp said that much of Sarasota County’s construction workforce uprooted to other areas of the country such as Texas and the Carolinas, where construction was less affected by the economic downturn.
“When you have to feed your family, you go where the jobs are,” Slapp said. “Now we have to find a way to lure them back.”
Sutter added that new government regulations such as E-Verify and the Affordable Health Care Act’s employer mandate are burdens for businesses seeking to hire new workers.
“It certainly thins the herd,” Sutter said, referring to E-Verify, an Internet-based program used to determine an employee’s eligibility to work in the U.S. “But, there really isn’t much of a herd, anyway.”
The labor shortage could also throw area governments a budgetary curveball.
Scott Lempe, chief operating officer for the Sarasota County School Board, said cost increases could send some projects to the chopping block.
“I anticipate the costs to tick up,” Lempe said. “If the cost of material or labor goes up dramatically, then it would force us to reevaluate the number and magnitude of projects we can take on.”
Sarasota County Commissioner Christine Robinson said the county budget has yet to feel the labor shortage’s effects.
“In the short term, I don’t see it as huge problem,” Robinson said. “But we may have to take another look at our budget in the future.”
Robinson said an increase in construction costs would likely lead to a decrease in funds available for smaller projects that periodically pop up and are paid for out of the county’s unfunded projects list.
“We tend to budget conservatively,” Robinson said. “If costs start to go up dramatically, our unfunded project list may be unfulfilled. We’ve already seen the price of asphalt affect our road renovations.”
According to area contractors and lawmakers, luring skilled workers back to the area is not the only solution to the labor shortfall. There should also be an emphasis, they said, on locally run skilled-labor training programs.
Slapp lauded skilled-labor programs at SCTI intended to teach marketable skills.
“Folks are going to be leery about going into the construction industry after the recession,” Slapp said. “But skilled tradesmen will never be out of work. We need to emphasize the importance of learning a skill and being a good worker.”
Robinson added that programs such as a proposed local hiring initiative and the Suncoast Workforce project facilitate linking contractors to workers, allowing for a more efficient use of the existing labor force.
Sutter, whose company recently secured contracts to do the roofing renovations at the Sarasota County Courthouse and the new Macy’s being built at the Mall at University Town Center, said the labor shortage hasn’t forced him to turn down any projects — for now.
“Our biggest concern used to be securing financing and keeping our workers employed,” Sutter said. “Now it’s trying to find enough workers to get all our new projects off the ground.”
Construction jobs By the numbers: 32,200: Sarasota construction industry workforce, July 2006 15,600: Sarasota construction industry workforce, July 2013 7%: Current estimated unemployment rate for Sarasota County 7.1%: Current estimated Florida unemployment rate 7.3%: Current national unemployment rate 320,000: Number of construction workers who dropped out of the national workforce during the Great Recession $27,220: Median annual construction worker salary in Florida $49,350: Median annual construction worker salary in New York
Major Transportation and Building Projects in Sarasota
In their ongoing effort to provide the latest and most pertinent information to immigrant investors, members of Jaensch Immigration Law Firm attended the Sarasota Association of Realtor’s Commercial Investment Division’s monthly meeting this week to learn about the latest changes and opportunities that are coming to Sarasota. Indeed, big changes are coming that will bring new investment opportunities throughout the area.
The Commercial Investment Division met at The Francis
There are plans to reconnect the downtown to the waterfront through the use of roundabouts at strategic intersections along US 41. Roundabouts have proved very effective at relieving traffic congestion and allowing more foot traffic to flow across intersections in Clearwater Beach. City planners envision the new roundabouts in Sarasota will do the same. More foot traffic will also mean more customers for retail and storefront spaces on the roundabouts.
The locations of the proposed roundabouts
Several building projects throughout Sarasota are in various stages of completion. The Jewel, at the corner of Main St and Gulf Stream, with 19 condos and 2 floors of commercial space, is under construction. Plans for a new hotel and retail space at Palm Ave and Coconut, across from the new Palm Ave Parking Garage, are in the final phases. Plans for another hotel, condos, and retail space on the waterfront next to the Ritz Carlton are well-underway. Finally, the city plans to renovate the middle stretch of Main St. so as to invite more retail and commercial investors and more foot traffic to sustain such development.
In short, Sarasota is poised for dramatic growth. In order to hear about all the exciting new investment opportunities as they develop immigrant investors should subscribe to Jaensch Immigration Law Firm’s newsletter.
Immediate Commercial Opportunity in Lee County
Immigrant investors in Southwest Florida will be interested to know about a new commercial investment opportunity in Lee County. This one comes from our good friend Rita Barbato. The business performs landscaping and yard services in Lee County which includes the cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Ms. Barbato reports that the investment would include $246,500 worth of equipment such as saws, stump grinders, a trailer, a chipper truck, a grapple truck and several bucket trucks. The current owner is retiring. Cash flow is $161,188, gross income is $424,600 and the asking price is $515,000. There are 8 employees.
Immigrant investors who would like to see if the business could help them qualify for a visa should request more information from Ms. Barbato: 813-833-0487, rita@alistgrourp.com. With more detailed financial information we can determine how the business may be used in an immigration strategy.
Our immigration attorneys regularly work with foreigners who want to invest and start businesses in Florida. There are 2 main strategies we recommend to immigrant investors and entrepreneurs: the E-2 and EB-5 visas.
E-2 investor visas are popular with immigrant investors as a way to qualify by investing a substantial amount of money in a new or existing enterprise that is real and active and will either produce more than a living wage for the investor and his/her family or will make a significant economic contribution through job creation. The visa often allows an investor to stay in the US for 2 to 5 years and is renewable.
The E-2 visa can ultimately lead to an EB-5 green card if the investor invests $500,000 to $1 million and creates 10 new full time jobs. For more information on E-2 and EB-5 investor visas and their requirements please watch our latest video on the subject.
At ImmigrationSarasota.com we often receive notifications of businesses for sale. We like to share these opportunities with our readers who may be looking for a new investment opportunity or for a way to qualify for an E-2 and EB-5 business. Sharing this information does not constitute a statement that this business would help an investor qualify for visa. We need to see more detailed financial information in order to provide our opinion on the business’ viability. Any investor who may be interested can request the financial details from the business broker and present them to us for an opinion.
Business for Sale
There is a new business opportunity in Southwest Florida. The business broker believes that it will help a foreign investor qualify for an E-2 visa. At this point we do not have enough financial information about the business to declare that it would do so. We decided to list it here and anyone interested can inquire with the business broker. More information is available with a confidentiality agreement.
The broker reports that the business is a high-end salon and day spa located in one of Southwest Florida’s most affluent areas. The spa services clients all year round. Over 4000 square feet offering high quality treatments from facials, massage therapy, and body treatments, to hair styling and more. The owner is willing to train and proof of funds is necessary.
All rooms are equipped with service tables, sinks, hot cabinets, racks, mirrors, plants etc. Day spa and salon software is included. A complete website with full supported domain as well as email is included. The manager and receptionist are fully trained and will stay on board. This business has a positive cash flow. Retail inventory is separate at approximately $23,400.
Over 4500 sq ft with lease is available. The owner will renegotiate on good terms with qualified buyer. All fixtures and equipment included. Retail inventory is available separate.
The asking price is $395,000USD.
For more information please feel free to contact Della Booth: 239-699-4493.
What is estate planning and why do immigrants need it?
Immigrants often come to Sarasota for the investment opportunities and the relaxed atmosphere. For some, their peak earning years are behind them and they are looking to retire or semi-retire. Canadians, Germans, and UK citizens regularly fit this category. We are more than willing to help our clients plan the immigration strategy that works best for them, but we often find that they need assistance in other legal matters as well. For immigrant investors, one of those matters is estate planning. We are not experts in estate planning so we recommend our clients go to other attorneys, such as Bradley Magee.
Attorney Bradley Magee is a trusts and estates lawyer in Sarasota. He recently provided us with some of the information he gives to his clients and we decided to post it on immigrationsarasota.com as a resource for immigrants who may need these legal services. For more information on these legal matters please contact Mr. Magee: (941) 918-9894.
Estate Planning
Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging for the disposal of an estate during life. Estate planning typically attempts to eliminate uncertainties over the administration of a probate (execution of the Will after death) and maximize the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses. Guardians are often designated for minor children and beneficiaries in incapacity.
Global Taxation
An important consideration for any foreign person contemplating immigration to the US is that after establishing US residence for US income and transfer tax purposes, they will be subject to the global application of the US income tax and taxation of their worldwide estate for US estate tax purposes. Before coming to the US, such a client should consider accelerating taxable income, postponing possible income tax deductions and engaging in other asset and trust transactions to limit or eliminate future US income and transfer tax risks.
FIRPTA
This is one of the most common issues we come across. Standing for Foreign Investment in Real Property Act, FIRPTA authorizes the IRS to collect taxes on real estate transactions carried out by foreigners. The IRS does so in several ways, including.
Withholding tax: When the non-resident, non-citizen (NRNC) sells the property, any gain realized will be subject to tax, and the buyer must generally withhold 10% of the purchase price and remit it to the US government.
Rental Property Income Tax: There is a general 30% withholding on rental income from US real property owned by the NRNC unless a treaty provision changes that or the NRNC elects to have the rental activity treated as a US trade or business subject to the US tax generally.
There are strategies for mitigating this tax burden and we urge our readers to consult with a trusts and estates attorney and a CPA who is in expert in foreign tax matters.
Bradley D. Magee practices law devoted to wills, trusts, estate planning, probate, taxation, business transactions, contracts and non-profits in Sarasota, FL. Mr. Magee became an attorney in 1983, a Certified Public Accountant in 1987, and is a former litigator for the Internal Revenue Service. He received a Juris Doctorate Degree and a Master of Taxation Degree from the University of Akron, and an LL.M. in Taxation Degree from the University of Florida Law School. He is a member of the Florida Bar in good standing since 1990.
As he explains there are 8 estate planning issues that everyone must address:
Wills – A legal document that sets forth your wishes regarding the distribution of your property and the care of any minor children.
Trusts – A trust is a fiduciary arrangement that allows a third party, or trustee, to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries. Trusts can be arranged in many ways and can specify exactly how and when the assets pass to the beneficiaries.
Durable Powers of Attorney – This is a power of attorney that will continue to be effective even if the grantor becomes incapacitated.
Living Wills – A set of written instructions that a person gives that specify what actions should be taken for their health if they are no longer able to make decisions due to illness or incapacity.
Health Care Surrogates – A health care surrogate is an adult who is appointed to make healthcare decisions for you when you become unable to make them for yourself.
Pre-Need Declarations of Guardian – This document states your preference for a guardian of both you and your property if you should become incompetent to manage your own affairs.
HIPAA Medical Release – This allows others to see your private medical data.
MEDICAID Planning – The process of utilizing and protecting assets within state and federal guidelines, in the event of a costly, long-term nursing home stay or an extended at home stay.
Bradley Magee can help Sarasota immigrants with all these documents. For more information please contact Mr. Magee: (941) 918-9894.
There is a new EB-5 investor visa regional center program in South Florida that is currently seeking foreign investors. This EB-5 program is administered by a company called QueensFort Capital which is the exclusive franchisee of Sonic Corporation, a fast-food chain, in the region. The program intends to develop 50 new Sonic restaurants throughout South Florida with the capital from EB-5 investors.
EB-5 Investor Visa
In order to qualify for an EB-5 visa, a foreign investor must invest $1 million – or $500,000 in an area of high unemployment – in a new or existing commercial enterprise and the investment has to lead to the creation of 10 new full-time jobs for Americans.
QueensFort Capital is using its status as the exclusive franchisee of Sonic Corporation in South Florida to build a successful EB-5 program. They channel the foreign investment from immigrants who want to obtain an EB-5 green card to develop and operate new Sonic restaurants. South Florida gets a new restaurant and jobs and the investor obtains an EB-5 visa to live and work in the US. So far, according to QueensFort, the EB-5 program has been 100% successful in getting EB-5 investor visa approvals.
About Sonic Corporation
Sonic is the largest franchisor of fast‐food drive‐in restaurants in the U.S. it is a publicly listed company that trades on the NASDAQ under SONC, has more than 3,500 restaurants nationwide.
The brand has been part of the U.S. culture since 1953. It is a mature concept with a business model that has proven to be successful for more than 50 years.
QueensFort will complete construction on its 4th Sonic restaurant in October 2013 and will be seeking EB‐5 investors for its 5th and 6th locations in October 2013.
All future Sonic EB‐5 transactions will utilize the same investment structure from QueensFort’s previously approved Sonic EB‐5 deals.
About QueensFort Capital Corporation
QueensFort differentiates itself from other franchisees by taking the fast-food dining experience to a higher standard that fuses style and functionality. They also differentiate themselves by serving a wide selection of wine and beer at their locations.
QueensFort financed a portion of the Sonic Miami Gardens development with foreign investor capital accessed through the EB-5 program. They claim a 100% track record with EB-5 investor approvals for the Sonic Miami Gardens transaction and its previous EB-5 Sonic transactions.
Those interested should feel free to contact QueensFort Capital with further questions.
QueensFort Capital Corporation 1000 5th Street, Suite 223 Miami Beach, FL 33139 Info@Queensfortcapital.com (T) 305.424.4444 (F) 305.402.0333
A promising immigrant athlete from Mexico made it to the US Open last week. Her name is Cassandra Vazquez and she competed in the US Open Junior Girls Tournament. We caught up with her coach/manager, Nicolas Guizar of Guizar Tennis Academy after the tournament to talk about his talented young trainee.
ImmigrationSarasota.com: How did Cassandra do in the US Open?
Nicolas Guizar: She won two matches in the qualifying tournament to get in to the main draw. In the main draw where only the top 64 in the world play she lost her first match against the Number 5 in the world in a great match.
IS.com: You must be so proud that she has made it this far, we certainly are! To what do you attribute her success?
Nicolas Guizar: Her success is based on discipline, hard work, and a well-organized program and supervision from our GTA Staff.
IS.com: The pressure of being in the US Open must be intense. How did she cope with the stress?
Nicolas Guizar: Cassandra has been working for this opportunity for many years and yes it is a lot of pressure but based on hard work and self-confidence she managed that pressure really well. She was able to play her best game during the biggest tournament she ever played till now.
IS.com: Now that she’s been to the US Open, what’s next for Cassandra?
Nicolas Guizar: We will continue to work hard to help her get into the top 10 in the world. Our goal is that Cassandra will be in 4 Grand Slams in 2014 (U.S. OPEN, WIMBLEDON, FRENCH OPEN, AUSTRALIAN OPEN) and will win one of those. We also would like to see Cassandra join the ranks of professional Tennis.
Cassandra Vazquez delivering a powerful forehand.
We will be following this very talented and driven immigrant athlete closely in the coming years.
We are pleased to share an article written about our firm by the SunState Post in their latest issue.
Jaensch Immigration Law Firm Team
Direkt im Herzen von Sarasota finden Sie das alteingesessene Unternehmen: Jaensch Immigration Law Firm. 1984 gegründet gehört das Unternehmen heute zu den großen und namhaften Anwaltskanzleien an der westlichen Golfküste von Florida, die sich auf das Immigrationsrecht spezialisiert haben.
Die SunState Post besuchte den erfahrenen Immigrationsanwalt Peter Jaensch.
The SunState Post: Seit wann sind Sie in Ihrem Berufsfeld tätig und wie hat alles angefangen?
Herr Peter Jaensch: Ich bin nunmehr seit fast dreißig Jahren als Immigrationsanwalt tätig. Ich war damals einer der ersten, der sich auf das Rechtsgebiet Immigration an der Westküste Floridas, spezialisierte. Im Laufe der vielen Jahre hat unsere Kanzlei ca. 17000 Fälle bearbeitet, wovon 99% zum Erfolg führten. Den genauen Sachverhalt eines Auftrages prüfe ich im Vorfeld. Das stellt sicher, dass dieser dann auch erfolgsversprechend ist. Sollte nach Überprüfung des Sachverhalts und der Gegebenheiten bereits erkennbar sein, dass das gewünschte Ziel nicht erreicht werden kann, nehmen wir den Auftrag erst gar nicht an.
The SunState Post: Wie ist Ihre Kanzlei heute aufgestellt?
Peter Jaensch: Seit kurzem sind meine beiden Kinder, Christopher und Victoria, die inzwischen ihr Studium abgeschlossen haben, auch als Anwälte in unserer Kanzlei tätig.
The SunState Post: Herr Jaensch, wie gehen Sie im Einzelnen vor, wenn ein Mandant zu Ihnen kommt und einen Immigrationsantrag stellen möchte?
Peter Jaensch: Zunächst haben wir ein Erstgespräch, um das Vorhaben des Immigrationswilligen zu erfassen. Anschließend geben wir ein wirklich ehrliches Feedback, ob von einer hohen Erfolgswahrscheinlichkeit ausgegangen werden kann. Sollte die Beurteilung der Antragschance positiv ausfallen, besprechen wir den Verlaufsplan.
The SunState Post: Wie verhält es sich mit den Kosten und Gebühren?
Peter Jaensch: Ja, das ist für alle meine Mandanten sehr wichtig. Wir teilen im Vorfeld klar mit, welche Kosten entstehen werden. Wir haben feste Gebühren und klare Vereinbarungen. Das schätzt unsere Kundschaft sehr.
The SunState Post: Haben Sie im Laufe der Jahre auch Investorenvisa vermittelt?
Peter Jaensch: Ja, wir vermitteln jährlich eine Reihe von Investorenvisa. Wobei hier das Minimum der Investition ca. 100.000,- Dollar beträgt. So können Sie sich vorstellen, dass wir im Laufe der Zeit sehr viel Geld nach Florida gebracht haben.
The SunState Post: Werden bestimmte Länder bei der Vergabe der sogenannten Green Card bevorzugt?
Peter Jaensch: Ja, das kann man so ausdrücken: die USA hat mit 35 Ländern Abkommen geschlossen, darunter auch mit der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Staatsbürger aus diesen Ländern mit dem eben angesprochenen Abkommen, können grundsätzlich einmal im Jahr an einer, von der Regierung der USA durchgeführten Green Card Verlosung teilnehmen. Ich erlebe aber jahrein und jahraus, dass trotz dieses, von der Regierung durchgeführten, nahezu kostenfreien Verfahrens, viele Hilfesuchende zu uns kommen. Dies wohl deshalb, weil sie an der Zahl der Vorschriften, die mit diesem Verfahren verbunden sind, die Gefahr für sich sehen, alleine den Antrag nicht erfolgreich zu durchlaufen. Wir halfen bereits ganz vielen Mandanten und führten sie durch das Verfahren.
The SunState Post: Welche Visaarten kommen noch in Betracht?
Peter Jaensch: Zum Beispiel auch das L-1 und das E-2 Visum . Wichtig ist zu wissen, wenn man sich für eine dieser Visa-Arten entscheidet, dass das Visum in Abhängigkeit mit einem Geschäft ist. Dieses muss aktiv betrieben werden. Es gibt aber auch die Möglichkeit, sofern man über die erforderlichen Mittel verfügt, eine reine monetäre Investition zu leisten, um damit ein Visum zu erhalten. Die finanziellen Mittel werden dann von einer speziellen Agentur (regional center) in Gebiete geleitet (targeted areas), wo dringend Arbeitsplätze geschaffen werden müssen. Meine Deutschen Kunden sind, wenn sie zu mir kommen meistens sehr gut vorbereitet.
The SunState Post: Gibt es einen Geschäftsbereich den Ihre deutsche Kundschaft bevorzugt?
Peter Jaensch: Ja, das kann man wohl sagen. Die Deutschen gehen ganz häufig ins Real Estate Business (Immobilienvermittlung), während sich Italiener und Franzosen auf die Eröffnung von Restaurants konzentrieren. Das können Sie auch ganz deutlich an unserer Main Street hier in Sarasota sehen.
The SunState Post: Es ist ja im Allgemeinen bekannt, dass es seit dem 9/11/2001 viel schwerer geworden ist in die USA zu immigrieren. Das ist häufig auch der Grund, warum sich manche von den langwierigeren und komplizierteren Verfahren abschrecken lassen. Gibt es weitere Optionen?
Peter Jaensch: Ja, die gibt es. Als klassischer Tourist können Sie sich 90 Tage ohne Unterbrechung in den USA aufhalten. Darüber hinaus können Sie ein B-2 Visum beantragen, das Ihnen bei Bewilligung weitere 6 Monate Aufenthaltsrecht in den USA gewährleistet. Es handelt sich um ein zeitweiliges Besuchervisum. Nicht zu vergessen sind Visamöglichkeiten, die durch Erwerb von Eigentum erhältlich sind. Wenn Sie 500.000 Dollar in Immobilieneigentum in den USA investiert haben, ist hieran dann ein mehr als ein halbes Jahr ununterbrochenes Bleiberecht verknüpft. Es gibt darüber hinaus aber noch viele Möglichkeiten zu helfen, dabei kommt es auch immer auf die Bedürfnisse unserer Mandanten an. Wir helfen natürlich auch, wenn es um das Studieren in Amerika geht oder wenn die Eltern von Ausgewanderten in die Staaten nachgeholt werden sollen.
Jaensch Immigration Law Firm bietet seinen Mandanten einen Erfahrungsschatz von 30 Jahren in der Auslegung des bestehenden Immigrationsrechtes. Darüber hinaus steht Peter Jaensch und sein Team für ständige Weiterbildung und für multilinguale Kundenbetreuung, denn nichts ist besser als einen Mandanten in seiner Muttersprache zu betreuen.
The SunState Post bedankt sich bei Herrn Peter Jaensch für das interessante Interview. Wir sind überzeugt mit Jaensch Immigration Law Firm unseren Lesern eine weitere TOP Anwaltskanzlei für Immigrationsrecht vorgestellt zu haben.
A national survey of construction firms found 74 percent were having problems finding qualified workers amid growing labor shortages in the industry.
The survey by Associated General Contractors of America comes as similar concerns have been raised among builders in Southwest Florida, with the new homes market ramping up and a tight inventory of existing homes.
In the Sunshine State, 80 percent of respondents told the AGC that they were having trouble filling key construction jobs. Carpenters, laborers and iron workers were the most sought after positions. The AGC said that builders nationwide are concerned that the problem is going to get worse. “We need to take short- and long-term steps to make sure there are enough workers to meet future demand and avoid the costly construction delays that would come with labor shortages,” said Stephen Sandherr, the trade organization’s chief executive.
Some of the survey’s findings:
Seventy-four percent of the 700 responding firms nationwide said the jobs that were most difficult to fill were carpenters, equipment operators and laborers.
Fifty-three percent said they were also having a difficult time finding project supervisors, estimators and engineers.
Eighty-six percent of respondents said they expect it will remain difficult or get harder to find qualified craft workers while 72 percent say the market for professional positions will remain difficult or get worse.
To deal with the situation, 48 percent of responding firms said they are mentoring future craft workers while 38 percent are participating in career fairs and 33 percent are supporting high school-level construction skills academies.
Forty-seven percent said they are offering internships for construction professionals.
Looking to veterans
There was a 70 percent uptick in new home construction activity in Sarasota and Manatee counties this summer, but the industry is now running 50 percent below its employment peak in 2006, state records show.
As of July, construction accounted for 15,100 jobs in the two counties.
Area home builders have found at least one potential answer to the shortage: Military veterans.
The Home Builders Association Manatee-Sarasota and Suncoast Workforce, an entity that operates three Jobs Etc. employment center in the region, have crafted a pilot program aimed at alleviating the problem and providing jobs for vets, who sometimes struggle with unemployment.
Florida has an estimated 744,000 veterans in its labor force. Suncoast Workforce, meanwhile, has seen the number of veterans seeking help in Sarasota and Manatee counties rise 40 percent over the last two years, with about 1,900 now in the system looking for work.
New incentives provided by Congress in late 2011 could help homebuilders hire more vets. The IRS-guided VOW Hire Heroes Act extends tax breaks of $2,400 to employers who hire a veteran who has been jobless for a month, $5,600 for those unemployed at least six months and $9,600 for veterans who have been out of work six months or more and have a service-related disability.
The incentives can increase if the vet is also receiving some type of government assistance.
If builders have to train the new hires, the federal government also will help pick up the tab, paying half of the trainees’ paycheck for up to six months.
Caps
To deal with the issue at a national level, Sandherr, the AGC chief executive, is urging Congress to “jettison arbitrary caps” on construction workers that were included in immigration reform the U.S. Senate passed this year.
“Lifting those restrictions will go a long way to ensuring construction jobs left vacant by domestic labor shortages go to workers who are in the country legally,” he said.
The CEO also is urging local officials to “do more to ensure public school students have an opportunity to participate in programs that teach skills like construction.”
His organization’s survey, conducted in July and August, included nearly 700 construction firms, including Florida.
Sarasota immigration attorneys often work with immigrant investors and entrepreneurs who want to live and work and grow a business in the United States. Two of the strategies we recommend pursuing involve the E-2 and EB-5 investor visas. E-2 investor visas are popular with immigrants as a way to quailfy for residence based on an immigrant’s entrepreneuerialism. Immigrant investors qualify by investing a substantial amount in a new or existing enterprise that is real and active and will either produce more than a living wage for the investor and his/her family or will make a significant economic contribution through job creation. The visa often allows an investor to stay in the US for 2 to 5 years and is renewable. The E-2 visa can ultimately lead to an EB-5 green card if the investor invests $500,000 to $1 million and creates 10 new full time jobs. For more information on E-2 and EB-5 investor visas and their requirements please watch our latest video on the subject.
Large Business for Sale
As stated above, immigrant investors qualify for an E-2 Visa by investing a substantial amount in a new or existing enterprise. While we are not in the business of recommending enterprises to potential E-2 investors, we know many business brokers who are. Recently we heard from Tony Dempsey of Sunstate Business Brokers about a business he recently listed for sale that may help an immigrant investor qualify for an E-2 visa.
Mr. Dempsey reports that the business is a physical therapy clinic in a desirable location. Growth has been and continues to be outstanding, as has profitability. The owner has created a unique and dynamic business model with a diverse approach to securing multiple patient referral sources, large and diverse service offerings, bilingual staff, classes and clinics provided, revolutionary FDA approved technology, in addition to DME sales and a weight management program; all this coupled with first class billing and administrative systems. Part of the attractiveness of this business as a potential acquisition is the fact that the owner is no longer involved in the day to day running of the business; that being left to management and the other therapists. The owners currently spend much of their time out of state and will be moving westward to be close to their family and start another physical therapy clinic there.
The asking price is $999,000. Gross revenues: $1,184,518. Cash flow: $360,172. The business comes with $10,000 in inventory and $110,000 in furniture, fixtures, and equipment included. The clinic was established in 2005, and has 15 employees. It is located in a 2950 sq foot modern facility on a major traffic artery. Rent is $3200/month.
E-2 or EB-5?
Our assessment is that this investment opportunity could be an option for someone looking for an E-2, L-1 or EB-1 visa. But, this would not work for an EB-5 because the regulations normally require the creation of 10 new full time jobs. The only way it could work for an EB-5 would be:
If the business has a substantial loss for one out of the past 2 years (in which case, the EB-5 investor can qualify if it preserves 10 FT jobs) OR
The EB-5 investor creates 10 additional FT jobs within 2 years.
Small Business for Sale
Mr. Dempsey also shared a second, smaller business prospectus with us. He reports that a well established Franchise would provide the new owner with a repetitive revenue stream from the constant reordering of a highly consumable product in a Business to Business environment. This coupled with a productive retail/production facility captures additional revenues from the consumer marketplace. The owner is highly motivated and will offer financing for a financially qualified buyer.
This is an established local franchise store, one of 1600 franchised retail locations in 50 countries, that originally focused on the refill and remanufacture of ink and toner cartridges for printers, but which has now expanded to include an array of related services supporting home and office printer users. This includes offering HP and Canon printers for sale, which makes a perfect complement to the printer cartridges they offer. In fact, for more than 20 years the franchises have been not only perfecting the art of remanufacturing printer cartridges, but also providing world-class customer support for hundreds of new printer products. This local franchise services virtually any item that serves a printing function, including fax machines, postage meters, photocopiers and more. Their focus is on Business-to-Business but also service the end user retail market with a 100% guarantee on their OEM remanufactured ink and toner cartridges and special promotions throughout the year. They pick up and deliver in a 3 county area.
With $332,321 in gross income, 20,000 in inventory, and 2 employees, the asking price is $150,000.
Qualify for an E-2?
We urge investors to be aware that this business may not by itself help an investor qualify for an E-2 visa. However, it could be part of a successful strategy that includes other businesses or an expansion plan to open new locations. For any questions about these businesses please contact Tony Dempsey at Sunstate Business Brokers: 941-932-5512. For more information on how to qualify for an E-2 or EB-5 investor visa, please feel free to contact us: 941-366-9841.
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