What Employers Need to Know About the Updated I-9 Form

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a new Form I-9, also known as Employment Eligibility Verification -- which has been streamlined and shortened—that employers may begin using Aug. 1, 2023. Employers may continue to use the older Form I-9 (Rev. 10/21/19) through Oct. 31, 2023. After that date, they will be subject to penalties if they use the older form. The new version can be downloaded here. Employers in the United States use this form to verify their employees' identity and employment authorization.

What's New in the Revised Form I-9?

The following key changes were made to the Form I-9:

• Shorter Sections: Sections 1 and 2 were reduced to fit a single-sided sheet by merging multiple fields when possible.
• Preparer and/or Translator Certification (Supplement A): Supplement A is now a separate supplement that employers can easily provide to employees when necessary. 
• Reverification and Rehire (Supplement B): Supplement B, used to verify continued valid employment authorization upon rehire, has been moved to a standalone document.
• Terminology Changes: The term "alien authorized to work" in Section 1 has been replaced with "noncitizen authorized to work" as well as clarified the difference between "noncitizen national" and "noncitizen authorized to work."
• Improved Usability: The updated form is designed to be compatible with tablets and mobile devices.
• Anti-Discrimination Measures: The notice at the top of the form has been updated to clarify guidance for employers on avoiding discrimination in the verification process.
• Alternative Documentation: Revised the Lists of Acceptable Documents page and added a box eligible employers can use if the employee's Form I-9 documentation was examined under a DHS-authorized alternative procedure rather than via physical examination. 
• Reduced Instructions:  Reduced length of instructions from 15 pages to 8 pages.

Employers are encouraged to proactively adopt the new Form I-9 to ensure seamless integration into their existing hiring and onboarding processes before the deadline. Additionally, employers should consider conducting a comprehensive review of its current I-9 processes.