VISANOW Advises HR Executives on Implications of Pending Immigration Reform

Expected immigration legislation to create significant compliance issues for employers

CHICAGO, IL November 9, 2006 –  With the recent shift of power in the U.S. Congress, pending immigration reform legislation has moved to forefront of the political agenda and, when passed, will make a substantial impact on human resource departments.

“The expected legislation will provide a path to legalization for an estimated 9.5 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. After years of debate, Congress can now pass the necessary measures to address this issue crucial to not only those immigrating to the U.S., but also those corporations and U.S. citizens that depend on their daily contributions” commented Robert Meltzer, VISANOW CEO.

The pending legislation includes a process for the legalization of the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., a temporary worker program and improved verification processes for employers. Proposed revisions would include an expanded scope of legal channels for current undocumented workers to gain legal work status within the U.S.

The approval of such significant measures will create a number of challenges for human resource departments. An unprecedented compliance burden and likely increase to employer penalties for non-compliance will be necessary to enforce these new regulations. In addition, revisions to the employment verification process will create a further strain on internal company resources. There is also the possibility of a labor force disruption if a company has current employees that do not meet eligibility requirements.

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

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

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.