VISANOW ENCOURAGES CORPORATIONS TO REVIEW HR PROCESSES IN PREPARATION FOR PENDING IMMIGRATION REFORM

Increased regulations and substantial compliance issues likely for HR Departments

CHICAGO, IL May 22, 2007 –  With the recent introduction of the Senate’s bi-partisan Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill, the implications for employers and their human resource departments are great. Corporations must prepare their HR departments to handle the significant compliance and regulatory issues they will face.

“The expected legislation will provide a path to legalization for an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.,” commented Robert Meltzer, CEO of leading immigration solutions provider VISANOW. “After years of debate, Congress now can pass the necessary measures to address this issue that is crucial to U.S. immigrants, as well as the corporations and U.S. citizens that depend on their daily contributions.”

The pending legislation would give immediate work authorization to undocumented workers who entered the U.S. prior to January 1, 2007, providing a path to legal residency. In addition, a temporary guest worker program will be introduced once increased security measures and employer penalties are in place.

The implementation of such significant measures will create a number of challenges for HR departments. An unprecedented compliance burden and an increase in employer penalties for non-compliance serve as key components of the proposal. In addition, revisions to the employment verification process will create a further strain on internal company resources. Finally, companies with employees who don’t meet eligibility requirements face a possible labor force disruption.

“We are advising our clients to monitor the unfolding events closely. If passed, the new legislation will result in an urgent need on the part of employers to review their internal hiring and screening processes,” added Meltzer. “Companies that employ a large number of low-skilled workers will need to make extensive revisions to their HR practices, resulting in the processing of a substantial amount of documentation to ensure compliance.”

HR departments should begin reviewing their internal processes to ensure they are prepared with a scaleable and responsive solution to facilitate the transition. The increased burden of navigating a new set of regulations, managing the enhanced verification system and processing the applicable work authorizations will likely require additional internal staffing or continued growth in outsourced functions.

About VISANOW
VISANOW has redefined the way immigration services are delivered with a process that consistently provides faster responses, allows greater access to information and saves time. Since 1998, VISANOW has combined superior client support and innovative technology designed to simplify the immigration process for corporations and their foreign employees.

Contact: Paul Colman
312-525-2819
colman@visanow.com