E-Verify is an online system that allows U.S. employers to verify the employment eligibility of newly hired workers. Managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in collaboration with the Social Security Administration (SSA), the system is fast, free, and widely adopted by businesses nationwide.
E-Verify was created under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA). It enables employers to electronically confirm a new hire’s work authorization by using information provided on Form I-9—a form that all new employees and their employers are legally required to complete to verify identity and employment eligibility.
After completing Form I-9, the employer logs into the E-Verify system and inputs the required information. E-Verify then compares the data against millions of records maintained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). In most cases, results are returned within three to five seconds.
On their first day of employment, the employee completes Form I-9.
The employer then uses the information from the form to create a case in E-Verify.
E-Verify checks the submitted details against records held by the DHS and SSA.
Results are typically returned within seconds. The system may confirm the employee’s authorization to work, or it may identify a mismatch. If a mismatch occurs, the employee is notified and provided with instructions to resolve the issue.
