Key Takeaways
- Hiring US employees is a legal requirement of E-2 visa maintenance — capital to do so strengthens your visa
- Bankable provides payroll working capital for E-2 businesses bringing on their first or next employees
- The cost of hiring — recruiting, training, first payroll cycle, benefits setup — is fundable
- E-2 businesses in restaurants, retail, cleaning services, and professional services most commonly need hiring capital
- Funding from $50K to $5M with 48-hour preliminary decisions
The E-2 visa requires you to be more than an investor — you must be actively developing the business and, in USCIS’s view, creating US jobs. “Marginal” businesses that only support the investor and family are insufficient. A business with employees — especially US citizen or permanent resident employees — demonstrates the kind of economic contribution that supports E-2 renewal and makes future immigration options more viable. Hiring your first employees is therefore not just a business decision; it’s a visa-strengthening move.
The practical challenge is that hiring creates immediate costs before the revenue impact of those new hires is felt. A new restaurant server generates covers immediately, but they need two weeks of training first. A new cleaning company crew can service new accounts on day one, but you need to recruit, screen, and train them first. Bankable’s working capital provides the cash to bridge this hiring-to-productivity gap.
What Hiring Capital Covers
- Recruiting costs: Job board postings, recruiter fees, and background check costs
- Training period payroll: Wages paid during orientation and training before employees are fully productive
- Payroll setup: First payroll processing cycle, employer tax accounts (FUTA, SUTA, FICA matching)
- Benefits setup: Health insurance deposit, workers’ compensation insurance, and liability insurance increases
- Equipment: Tools, uniforms, and equipment needed by new employees
Working Capital Line
Revolving access for payroll and HR costs during team expansion phases.
Learn More →Revenue-Based Funding
Non-dilutive capital that scales with your revenue as your new hires become productive.
Apply Now →Frequently Asked Questions
Not technically required for small investments, but USCIS expects E-2 businesses to create US employment or have a clear plan to do so. Businesses that only support the E-2 investor and their family are considered “marginal” and can be denied renewal. Hiring US employees significantly strengthens your E-2 case.
Yes. Working capital for payroll during the hiring and training period is a standard Bankable use case for growing E-2 businesses.
Yes. E-2 employers can hire US citizens, permanent residents, H-1B holders, TN workers, and other work-authorized individuals. You are not restricted to hiring specific nationalities or visa types.
We look for a revenue base that supports the additional payroll you’re taking on. A business generating $300K/year can typically support 2-3 additional employees. We evaluate the fit between your revenue and proposed payroll.
Your E-2 dependents (spouse and minor children under 21) can receive work authorization through the E-2 dependent status. However, for visa strengthening purposes, hiring unrelated US workers is more impactful.
Positively. Employing US workers is a direct indicator of economic contribution that immigration officers evaluate at renewal. A growing payroll is evidence of a thriving, non-marginal business.
48-hour preliminary decisions. Most working capital approvals fund within 5-7 business days.
We require a minimum of 6 months of operating history. Businesses with consistent revenue since opening at 6-12 months can qualify for hiring capital.