Bulletin: I-9 Compliance Alert – New Form I-9 Coming

I-9 Compliance Alert:  New Form I-9 Coming

Employers should be aware that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to release a new version of Form I-9 in 2017.  That will be the second time this year the Form has been updated.  The current version of Form I-9 was released in November of 2016 and employers had until January 22, 2017 to begin using the new Form.

A new updated version of Form I-9 will be published no later than July 17, 2017. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will allow employers to use the previous version (Rev. 11/14/2016) through September 17, 2017. After September 17, 2017, all previous versions of Form I-9 will be invalid.

DHS has requested an update to the current Form that will:

1. Address the use of parole for entrepreneurs seeking to enter the country where their status as a parolee will allow them to work. Form I-9 needs to be updated to allow for such when they present their foreign passport and I-94 as List A documents in Section 2.  This is referred to as the “International Entrepreneur Rule.”  The July required release date correlates to the July effective date of the International Entrepreneur Final Rule.
2. Additionally, updates will be made to Form I-9’s Lists of Acceptable Documents to allow acceptance of a State Department form indicating birth abroad.

For additional information you can review the notice on the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) website as well as the exact proposed changes for the new Form I-9 from the Information Collection Review (ICR) Documents.

Bottom Line

Equifax Workforce Solutions will have the new requirements in place ahead of the September 17, 2017 deadline.  Our clients do not need to worry about this change.  We have you covered.

Given the increased risk of an audit, employers should assess and closely monitor their I-9 processes to remain compliant.  Employers may want to consider implementing a comprehensive electronic solution to help manage I-9 compliance.

Equifax Workforce Solutions provides simplified I-9 compliance that offers positive new employee experiences for easy I-9 management anywhere, anytime. Our solutions go beyond simple electronic forms to deliver complex compliance management including reverification monitoring and alerts, detailed audit trails, secure capture of document images from mobile devices and paper conversion, as well as audit and remediation.  Integration with The Work Number, the Equifax Workforce Solutions flagship verification service, helps identify missing and expired I-9s.

Contact us to learn how Equifax can help your organization

Download a PDF version of this bulletin