I-9 Central

Federal law requires that every employer* who recruits, refers for a fee, or hires an individual for employment in the U.S. must complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Form I-9 will help you verify your employee's identity and employment authorization.

*NOTE: We will refer to both employers and agricultural recruiters and referrers for a fee collectively as "employers" throughout I-9 Central.

DHS Extends Form I-9 Requirement Flexibility (Effective September 1, 2021)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced an extension of the flexibility in complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to COVID-19.

This temporary guidance was set to expire August 31, 2021. Because of ongoing precautions related to COVID-19, DHS has extended the Form I-9 flexibility policy until December 31, 2021.

See the original news release from March 23, 2020 for more information on how to obtain, remotely inspect, and retain copies of the identity and employment eligibility documents to complete Section 2 of Form I-9. Please also consult ICE’s guidance for clarification on this provision.

Employers must monitor the DHS and ICE's Workforce Enforcement announcements about when the extensions end and normal operations resume.

E-Verify participants who meet the criteria and choose the remote inspection option should continue to follow current guidance and create cases for their new hires within three business days from the date of hire. Please see COVID-19 webpage for more information.

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas Decision on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

USCIS is complying with the July 16 order from the U.S. District Court in Texas. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients with a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD), including an EAD that has been automatically extended, are still permitted to work. See I-9 Central for Completing Form I-9 for Employees with Extended Work Authorization Under DACA.

Latest Headlines

Request for Public Input on Remote Document Examination for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking to explore alternative options to physical document examination that offer an equivalent or higher level of security for identity and employment eligibility verification purposes. In order to gather public input, DHS published a 60-day Request for Public Input in the Federal Register regarding document examination practices when completing Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
DHS Secretary Implements Employment Authorization for Individuals Covered by Deferred Enforced Departure for Hong Kong
Based on the Aug. 5, 2021, presidential memo, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas is implementing employment authorization through Feb. 5, 2023, for certain Hong Kong residents covered by Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Hong Kong. Once a covered individual receives a DED EAD with a Category Code of A11, they are authorized to work.  
E-Verify Celebrates its 25th Anniversary!
September marked E-Verify’s 25th anniversary! On September 30, 1996, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) was signed into law, creating three employment eligibility verification pilot programs, including the “Basic Pilot.” A year later, the Basic Pilot was rolled out in six states, and in 2007, the Basic Pilot was renamed “E-Verify”.

Topics

Image of the form I-9 that is filled out by employers and employees

Form I-9
All U.S. employers must properly complete Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States.
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Preventing Discrimination
We provide information on employee rights and preventing discrimination in the workplace.
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Learning Resources
Explore multimedia content to learn about what the employment eligibility verification process means to you, including your rights, your roles, your employer's responsibilities, and your privacy.
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Handbook for Employers
Read our guidance for completing Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, in the M-274, Handbook for Employers.