Direct answer: The productive USD 70,000 route serves the investor who will genuinely open or develop a company, present a business plan and create at least five formal jobs. The USD 150,000 or USD 200,000 routes cover tourism, economic-use real estate and financial instruments, with their own obligations and without turning every investor into a company operator.
Why the names cause confusion
SUACE stands for Sistema Unificado de Apertura y Cierre de Empresas. It is the public structure that centralizes business processes and issues the constancia used by the investor's special immigration route. In April 2026, Resolución 0283/2026 modernized the CIE parameters and the government presented this expansion under the name Paraguay Investor Pass.
So these are not two competing authorities, nor entirely separate products. The useful distinction is to separate the classic productive route from the three additional routes, because capital, documentation and later obligations differ.
An objective comparison
| Route | Minimum | Operation/jobs | Central commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Productive | USD 70,000 | Business plan and ≥5 jobs | Industrial, commercial or services company |
| Tourism | USD 150,000 | Plan and technical follow-up | Project aimed at the tourism sector |
| Real estate | USD 200,000 | No mandatory jobs | Asset with economic purpose, not own housing |
| Financial | USD 200,000 | No operating company | Eligible instruments and a minimum two-year holding |
When the productive route makes sense
It tends to be coherent when the applicant already wants to operate in Paraguay, has compatible business experience and can demonstrate how the project will invest the capital and maintain jobs. The lower ticket does not mean a passive solution: payroll, registrations, accounting, licenses and executing the plan create ongoing obligations.
Choosing USD 70,000 only because it is the lowest number can produce an operating cost higher than the difference to another route. The analysis should include capital, the company's annual cost, hiring capacity and management time.
When the asset-based routes make sense
Real estate and financial instruments separate the investment from the need to manage five employees. This may favor asset-focused investors, but it does not eliminate due diligence, traceability or maintaining the declared conditions. Tourism holds an intermediate position: a USD 150,000 ticket, yet with a project and sector-specific follow-up.
A decision in four questions
- Do you intend to run a real company or simply allocate assets?
- Can you maintain jobs and corporate obligations for several years?
- Do you need liquidity or do you accept the capital being tied up and the holding rules?
- Does the chosen asset exist, is it documented and is it accepted before the transfer?
The answer should be documented before the contribution. The MIC itself highlights the source of funds, anti-money-laundering prevention, background checks and the monitoring of investments. The CIE should not be treated as an automatic purchase of residency.
Frequently asked questions
Did SUACE replace the Investor Pass?
No. SUACE remains the institutional window and the productive route is still one of the four categories announced by the MIC.
Is the USD 70,000 route passive?
No. The official communication requires a business plan and at least five formal jobs for the productive route.
Do real estate and the stock market skip every control?
No. Waiving jobs does not remove source-of-funds checks, the sworn declaration, the CIE, immigration controls or maintaining the category's conditions.
Primary sources
Conditions can change. Always verify the current form and fee before filing or transferring funds.