Immigration Update
E-Verify now Mandatory for Employers seeking Federal Government Contracts
On June 9, 2008, the White House issued an Executive Order, amending Executive Order 12989, to state that contracting agencies may not enter into contracts with employers that do not use an electronic employment eligibility verification system designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Executive order is effective immediately for all future federal contracts.
Currently, the only electronic employment verification program designated for this purpose is E-verify. If your company will be bidding for federal contracts in the future, it will need to enroll in E-verify before it can be awarded the contract. There are pros and cons to enrolling in E-verify that companies should consider carefully before enrolling.
Please note that while there are several bills currently being debated that would make E_verify mandatory for all employers, right now the requirement is limited to federal contractors, certain state contractors, and companies currently employing F-1 students under a STEM OPT extension.
Should you have questions on this new "E-verify" requirement, please contact your MVA Immigration Team Contact