E-Verify

E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows an employer, using information reported on an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to determine the eligibility of that employee to work in the United States. For most employers, the use of E-Verify is voluntary and limited to determining the employment eligibility of new hires only. There is no charge to employers to use E-Verify. The E-Verify system is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration. E-Verify is available in Spanish.

More than 307,000 employers are enrolled in the program, with over 17 million cases created in the system in fiscal year 2011. There have been over 3.7 million cases created in the system in fiscal year 2012 (as of December 10, 2011).

E-Verify is mandatory for some employers, such as those employers with federal contracts or subcontracts that contain the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) E-Verify clause and employers in certain states.

For Employers

E-Verify is a voluntary program for employers, with limited exceptions. Companies can access E-Verify online and compare an employee's Form I-9 information with over 455 million records in the Social Security Administration database, and more than 80 million records in Department of Homeland Security immigration databases. E-Verify is an essential tool for employers committed to maintaining a legal workforce, and the number of registered employers is growing by approximately 1,400 per week.

Visit USCIS' "For Employers" section and I-9 Central for more information on E-Verify for employers.

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For Employees

E-Verify compares information from your Form I-9 to data from U.S Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility. Of employees whose employment eligibility is checked through E-Verify, 96.9 percent are confirmed automatically as eligible to work in the United States.

As an employee whose employer participates in E-Verify, it’s important for you to understand how the program works. By becoming familiar with E-Verify, you can take steps to ensure your employment eligibility verification is quick and easy.

Visit USCIS.gov for more information on E-Verify for employees.

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For Federal Contract Employers

Federal contractors and subcontractors are required to use E-Verify as of September 8, 2009. Executive Order 12989 mandates the electronic verification of all employees working on any federal contract. The amended Executive Order reinforces the policy that the federal government supports a legal workforce. 

Visit USCIS.gov for more information on E-Verify for federal contract employers.

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