The actual investment, risk, source and enterprise requirements need review. A price label alone does not decide them.
Avoid a threshold shortcut
There is no universal E-2 minimum. A larger allocation cannot cure missing ownership, directing authority or supported operations.
Ask for a written scope separating immigration-preparation work from business spending, and have the actual treatment of each business outlay reviewed rather than assuming every professional fee falls outside qualifying investment. Business outlays such as premises, equipment and inventory belong in the investment analysis, and professional charges deserve individual review rather than a blanket inclusion or exclusion. Review refund and cancellation terms in the purchase or loan agreement rather than assuming every dollar spent automatically helps eligibility, and keep independent commercial and tax diligence as its own line item. Substantial is judged in proportion to the total cost of purchasing the established business, so a full-price purchase of a small contracting company is proportionally stronger than a fractional investment in a large one. Keep Canadian sale taxes and closing expenses apart from capital placed into the American business, then separate committed investment, operating reserves, professional work, and verified government charges. Keep three budgets separate: the investment itself, which must be at risk in the business; working capital the buyer holds in reserve, which is not counted until committed; and the consular application fee, professional fees and translation costs, which are never part of the investment.