What is GEIR?
To attract and retain more qualified entrepreneurs and their growing companies within Massachusetts, the Global Entrepreneur in Residence Program (GEIR) was established in the 2014 Jobs Bill.
Through the GEIR, universities partnered with the state to provide valuable, relevant part-time work opportunities which initiated a cap-exempt H-1B visa application process. Participating universities acted as the “sponsor” for filing cap-exempt H-1B petitions for graduates with advanced degrees who wanted to grow their companies but could not due to a lack of available H-1B visa slots. This part-time employment authorization will enable the entrepreneur’s start-up company to apply for the entrepreneur’s work authorization, also in a cap-exempt visa category, and ultimately allowed the company, and new high-skill jobs, to grow here in Massachusetts.
The GEIR pilot was implemented in partnership with the University of Massachusetts Boston and the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Interested in participating in GEIR?
To help candidates do a preliminary evaluation of their individual eligibility, certain program criteria as laid out in state law include:
- Candidates must be a start-up entrepreneur in a leadership position (CEO, Co-Founder, or the like) within an early-stage venture;
- Candidates must have a master’s degree or above in STEM or related business fields; and
- Candidate’s start-up venture must be headquartered in Massachusetts and able to affiliate with a venture center within UMass Boston or UMass Lowell.
Want to Learn More?
- Full Text of the 2014 Jobs Bill.
- CNN Money Article: "Can States Solve the Immigration Crisis?"
- Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston: Demand for H-1B Visas in New England.
- Read more on the UMass Boston Venture Development Center's work on the GEIR program or email the VDC if you'd like more information.