work-eligibility of an immigrant.

I filed several times I-9 form, from being graduate assistant (20 hr/week limit), work during OPT, H1 visa, to green card. I never gave my SSN to I-9. I-9 doesn’t need it regardless of optional or not. Because SSN doesn’t carry your immigration information. What I-9 needs and you must provide is your Alien Number which you clearly don’t know . A number is the most important information about your immigration. If I am HR person and want to hire you, I don’t care if you give me SSN or driver license or something else. All I need is your A number. If you don’t have A number, I immediately know you are illegal immigrant. This is the key information. A number carries all your immigration information such as if legal immigrant and if eligible for work. Other information I don’t care. So , this A number is a must. I must submit I-9 form with your A number for confirmation. Where do you get this A number? It is from your green card or your working visa or your student visa.

Also, please note many legal immigrants don’t have SSN or in the process of application for SSN. They’re still legal immigrants. Because they have A number. Some people may have SSN, but they don’t have A number. So they’re still illegal immigrants. Because they can get SSN in an illegal way (Fraud). So, unlike citizens, for an immigrant and for information about his/her immigration status, A number is the most important information, not SSN. Your I-9 form must have this information.