US employers must check validity of US work visas online
July 09 2009 by Mark Johnstone
US work visas can soon be checked online
From 8 September 2009, employers must check the validity of foreign workers’ US visas online if they want to win government contracts.
This is the latest push towards making sure immigrants who have moved to the US are legal before they are taken on as employees. Employers will have to use the new E-Verify online system to check the validity of the US visa work permits using government databases.
The rule, which was adopted under the Bush administration but was never implemented, also applies to firms that receive federal stimulus.
Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano, says the E-Verify system is not intended to punish firms for making genuine mistakes and will protect the rights of migrants who are work in the US legally. She says, "The idea is to make sure that we are providing employers with a system of employee verification that is accurate, respects the laws of privacy and is truly a good and strong model to maintain a legal workforce.”
In addition to this latest ruling, the Senate has recently passed an amendment which would make the use of E-Verify mandatory for all existing federal contractors and sub-contractors.
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