Work Permit

A work permit (or work authorization) is a legal document or status authorizing a foreign national to work in a country where they do not hold citizenship or permanent residency. In the United States, I-9 employment eligibility verification requires all employers to confirm work authorization for every new hire — collecting and examining specific documents that establish identity and work authorization. The most common employer I-9 compliance errors are accepting documents that are not on the acceptable list, examining photocopies rather than originals, not completing Section 2 within 3 business days of the employee's start date, and incorrectly handling re-verification for employees on time-limited work authorization. I-9 audits by ICE can result in fines ranging from $272 to $27,018 per violation depending on whether violations are first-time or repeat offenses and whether they reflect substantive or paperwork errors.