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America’s EB-5 Programme has been the most successful immigrant investor programme in the world. However, a series of short-term extensions and the constantly growing quota backlog mean its future remains uncertain. The IM Yearbook spoke to Bob Kraft, President of Invest in the USA (IIUSA), the industry trade association of the EB-5 Regional Centre Programme, about the way forward.

Zac Lucas talks about the Common Reporting Standards, the OECD’s blacklist and the need to bring immigration consultants into the regulatory fold.

With 30 years of experience in financial services and as a former private banker, Juerg Steffen knows what effect regulation can have on the dynamics of a sector.

The Investment Migration Council has established a global education and training division to facilitate and build courses that offer qualifications and training for those working in the ever-growing investment migration industry.

The development of global standards for the investment migration industry needs to be an urgent priority for the sector. Long-term success will only be brought about if international institutions and civil society have confidence in the industry, writes Bruno L’ecuyer, Chief Executive of the Investment Migration Council.

Estonia’s e-Residency Programme is partly the brainchild of Kaspar Korjus, the former Head of the Programme. He talks about the programme’s start-up phase, major achievements and its future potential. He says that as more countries build digital services of their own, the idea of nation-as-a-service comes into sharper focus.

Expats may account for just 3% of the world’s population, but they are changing the world and reshaping societies — and their dominance is growing as expats are expected to account for a larger share of the world’s population in the decades ahead, says John Marcarian.