The EB-5 Program offers to approaches to obtaining a US green card by investment: direct investment or through an EB-5 regional center. Direct investment includes starting your own business or purchasing or investing in an existing business. Direct investment must create 10 full-time US jobs that last a minimum of 2 years.

The EB-5 Regional Center Pilot Program, established in 1992, enables EB-5 investors to make a passive investment in a qualified project. Job creation through a regional center-sponsored investment enables you to count not only direct jobs, but also indirect and induced jobs. Job creation is demonstrated through USCIS-approved economic models based on, e.g., construction expenditures or operations revenues.

Historically, 97% of all EB-5 investments have been made through EB-5 regional centers.

See official USCIS page here.