The proposed features for the upcoming revamped version of E-Verify would fundamentally change the way employment eligibility verification is conducted, according to a proposal from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
E-Verify NextGen—scheduled for release in 2024—integrates the Form I-9 process with E-Verify, the federal government’s electronic employment verification system, and shifts much of the process away from HR and to the new hires themselves. Currently, employers must complete a new Form I-9 for each new hire and enter the information into E-Verify if they are enrolled in the program.
“The proposed changes are significant,” said John Fay, director of product strategy at Equifax Workforce Solutions. Fay participated in a demo of the NextGen product with other E-Verify agents as part of a USCIS listening session earlier this year.
Here’s how it works: Using E-Verify NextGen, a new hire will electronically enter their biographical information, citizenship or immigration status, and acceptable identity documents using their myE-Verify secure personal account. Once the system confirms the employee’s employment eligibility, the employer will be notified and can finish the verification by examining the documents—remotely, if it is taking advantage of the new alternative verification option. The submitted information will be used to create a completed Form I-9 for the employer to download and store.