As of January 22, 2017, U.S. employers should be using the new Form I-9 for Employment Eligibility Verification, available here.
Federal immigration law requires that U.S. employers use the Form I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorization of new employees and to re-verify continuing employment authorization of existing workers who hold temporary employment authorization only. All U.S. employers must properly complete a Form I-9 for each individual hired in the U.S. after November 6, 1986, regardless of the individual’s citizenship.
Here are some of the changes made to the Form I-9:
- Section 1 now asks for “other last names used” instead of “other names used”
- Prompts have been added, such as drop-down lists and calendars for filling in dates, to ensure that required information is entered correctly
- The form can indicate multiple preparers and translators
- Rather than including additional information in the margins, there is now an area on the form to include such information
- There is a separate page for the preparer/translator
Employers should retain and store the completed Form I-9 for three years after the date of hire or for one year after employment is terminated, whichever is later. Additionally, the Form I-9 should be available for inspection by the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, or Department of Justice.
