If you're at 500k already, you can probably pull off an EB-5.
Regardless, I'm not all that concerned about the 500k entrepreneurs.
I'm unclear on the "and" and "or" thing, too, but I think it's equally arbitrary to deport someone with 4 full-time employees for missing a $1MM mark, and I think 5 "full-time" employees is extremely gameable.
My interpretation is that you have 2 years to preform, and if you don't by the 3rd year - then you are deported, and not for missing the 2yr marks. You have 12 months of latitude if your heading in the right direction with employment.
I do agree that there is going to be some gaming of the system.
So you could apply when you had $500K in revenues.
Also, I don't know for sure if the qualifying clauses for not being deported have an "and" relationship or an "or" relationship.
Do I need to raise a million dollars AND generate a million in revenue AND generate 5 jobs? Or is one of these enough?