Employment Authorization and Documentation
Palauan citizens admitted under the Compacts may freely seek employment in the
United States. However, like other employees working in the United States, they will be
required by their employers at the time of hire to complete an attestation regarding their
employment authorization and present document(s) showing identity and employment
authorization for completing Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. To satisfy
the document presentation requirement, employees may choose a document or
combination of documents listed on Form I-9, in the section “Lists of Acceptable
Documents.”
One document listed in the section “Lists of Acceptable Documents” that is available to
citizens of Palau upon request from USCIS is Form I-766, Employment Authorization
Document (EAD). While under the Compact, citizens of Palau do not need to apply for,
possess or renew an EAD, they are strongly encouraged to apply for one by completing
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. The EAD with a category code
of A08 is issued to them free of charge. Applicants properly filing EAD renewal
applications under category A08 may receive automatic extensions of an expiring or
expired EAD for up to 180 days. The extension begins on the date the EAD expires and
continues for up to 180 days unless the renewal application is denied. In addition to
serving as evidence of both identity and employment authorization, the EAD is very
useful in applying for a driver’s license or other situations where secure U.S.
government-issued evidence of identity or immigration status may be requested.
Note that an unexpired Palauan passport with an unexpired Form I-94 does not
establish identity and employment authorization for Form I-9 purposes.
All requirements and procedures relating to Form I-9, and the employer sanctions laws,
apply to Palauan citizens in the same manner as to other employees in the United States.
Social Security Card
A person admitted under the Compact may obtain a Social Security number (SSN) and
Social Security card from the Social Security Administration. A Palauan citizen who has
been admitted under the Compact is issued a Social Security card without the statement,
“Valid for Work Only with DHS Authorization.” For Form I-9 purposes, this is a “List C”
document that a Palauan citizen can show his or her employer as evidence of
employment authorization (but not identity).
The Social Security card must be obtained in the United States from the Social Security
Administration. It cannot be issued by the U.S. Embassy in Palau.
Study
Palauan citizens admitted under the Compact may study at any school in the United
States. A school enrolling a Palauan citizen admitted under the Compact should not
register the student with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), and the
student does not need to present a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.