The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) requires employers to verify the employment eligibility of newly-hired employees. The IRCA forbids employers to consciously hire or continue to employ unauthorized workers.
In response to the law, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)--now under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and referred to as U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS)--created Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9, and enforces its precise and timely completion by all U.S. employers and their employees.
Form I-9 must be completed for both citizens and non-citizens at the time of employment. Employers who use outdated editions of Form I-9 are subject to fines and penalties. Please refer to the links below to ensure you are using the current version.
A Spanish language version of Form I-9 is available, but may only be submitted by employers and employees in Puerto Rico. Spanish-speaking employers and employees in the 50 states and other U.S. territories may print the Spanish version for reference, but must submit the form to USCIS in English to remain in compliance
The I-9 process MAY NOT be used to pre-screen potential employees for hiring unless it is a regular policy or practice to do so.
More information, including a downloadable copy of the current Form I-9 is available at .