U.S. Revises I-9 Form Used For All New Hires

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) revised the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form, to cross-check the identity and work eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. The ‘N’ version of the I-9 form must be used from now on for any Employment Eligibility Verification for new employees in the United States.

Previous versions of the form will no longer be valid. Employers who fail to use Form I-9 (11/14/2016 N) on or after Jan. 22, 2017 may be subject to all applicable penalties under section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324a, as enforced by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Among the changes in the new version, Section 1 asks for “other last names used” rather than “other names used,” and streamlines certification for certain foreign nationals.

Other changes:

  • The addition of prompts to ensure information is entered correctly.
  • The ability to enter multiple preparers and translators.
  • A dedicated area for including additional information rather than having to add it in the margins.
  • A supplemental page for the preparer/translator.

The instructions have been separated from the form and include specific instructions for completing each field. The revised Form I-9 is also easier to complete on a computer. The new form includes drop-down lists and calendars for filling in dates, on-screen instructions for each field, easy access to the full instructions, and an option to clear the form and start over. When the employer prints the completed form, a quick response (QR) code is automatically generated, which can be read by most QR readers.

Form I-9 requirements were established in November 1986 when the then U.S. Government passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). IRCA prohibits employers from hiring people, including U.S. citizens, for employment in the United States without verifying their identity and employment authorization on Form I-9.

 

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