A targeted employment area (TEA) is a rural area or a location with a high rate of unemployment. EB-5 investors who make their investment in a TEA can enjoy the reduced investment threshold. However, not all rural areas or regions of high unemployment qualify as a targeted employment area in the EB-5 field. The designation of a TEA is adjudicated as part of an investor’s I-526 petition. An investor must, in his or her petition, demonstrate that the location of the project meets the requirements of TEA.