Read the general investor planning overview
When a Strathroy-Caradoc land or agribusiness sale is the intended source of E-2 capital, trace the sale itself as its own dated history, then review the U.S. enterprise on its own operating and control facts. A locally well-documented sale does not, by itself, establish that the resulting U.S. business meets the substantiality or non-marginality requirements.
Read the sale's own conditions before assuming funds are ready
Hypothetical example: a farm sale includes a holdback tied to a future condition, such as a rezoning approval. Confirm exactly when those funds actually become available before treating them as committed E-2 capital, and coordinate that timeline with any escrow terms on the U.S. side.
Separate the sale's paper trail from the enterprise's paper trail
Keep the farm or land sale's ownership history, closing documents, and any co-owner distributions as one complete record, and the U.S. enterprise's formation, ownership, and operating documents as a separate complete record. Link them with a clear transfer history rather than merging the two stories into one narrative.
Judge the enterprise on its own operations, not the sale's size
Describe the U.S. business's actual costs, activities, and staffing plans independent of how much the Ontario sale generated. A substantial local sale can fund a substantial investment, but substantiality and non-marginality are still measured against this specific enterprise, not the size of the transaction that funded it. Check that the real enterprise is generally at least 50% owned by nationals of the relevant treaty country, that the investor will develop and direct it, and that lawful funds are committed and at risk. Non-marginality concerns capacity beyond a minimal family living or a significant economic contribution, not a fixed E-2 job quota. The investor must intend to depart when E status ends.
What else is on your mind?
Is there one minimum investment that guarantees E-2 eligibility?Is holding money or owning an asset enough for E-2?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.