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Foreign Trade Zone

Toolkit

Find information on the Port of Seattle’s Foreign Trade Zone and how this Federal program can generate new economic activity in our region.
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Founded in 1971, enterpriseSeattle is a public-private economic development partnership encompassing King County and its 39 cities.

Foreign Direct Investment

The Seattle/King County region is built on the strength of industries competing in the knowledge- and international-based economy. In fact, foreign investment accounts for 3.7% of the state’s private-industry employment with foreign-controlled businesses employing over 91,000 Washington workers. Combine that with the superb quality of life in the Pacific Northwest, a world-class arts scene, professional sports teams, and culinary delights from some of the country’s top chefs, and you’ve got a great place to do business where your employees will be happy to call “home.”

Our region’s strengths include:

strategic location with regard to the Pacific Rim
nonstop international flights
deep-water ports
reliable transportation connections to the rest of the U.S.
well-educated population (link)
strong business climate
vibrant international communities
vast experience in international trade

This strong combination of assets makes the Seattle/King County region one of the leading trade hubs on the West Coast of North America and a great place for foreign investment. Here are just a few of the foreign-owned businesses that are already taking advantage of all the Northwest has to offer:

Foreign Trade Zone #5
The Port of Seattle’s Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #5 can give your company a competitive edge and help manage cash flow by deferring, reducing and in some cases eliminating customs duties and reducing overall operating costs.

“EB-5” Immigrant Investor Program
The US Citizenship and Immigration Service developed the Immigrant Investor Program—commonly referred to as “EB-5”—to encourage foreign investment that creates jobs and stimulates the U.S. economy in exchange for visa privileges. There are currently three (3) EB-5 projects in the Seattle/King County region:

Other Resources
There are a variety of organizations at the state, county and local levels which provide information and assistance to businesses looking to expand into Washington State. Click here for a list of useful resources.