The goal of any economic investment is to grow the original investment. This means that the rational hope behind any investment, including an EB-5 investment, is for a gain on the principal invested. However, the EB-5 investment cannot be accompanied by any kind of promise that the investor will actually receive a return of principal or any gain on the principal. This is essentially what it means for EB-5 investment to be required to be an “at risk” investment.