Last Updated on August 18, 2023
Recently, we asked hundreds of employers about their immigration data security, and 95 percent told us they were confident in their current approach. We found those results reassuring…at first.
When we dug a little deeper, we learned that the truth was actually a little murkier. Although so many companies feel confident that their data security is up to national and international standards, 62 percent said they are actually making investments to prepare for increased standards in the U.S. and around the world. And 45 percent said they are requesting their immigration partners to increase their security.
Employers are still managing their immigration data with more traditional methods. Forty-six percent of HR professionals report HRIS as their primary system of record for immigration data, and 31 percent of employers still have physical files in their office – this is amidst more stringent changes in data security standards around the world.
Why is immigration data security so important this year?
This past year has been full of changes to immigration data security regulations in the U.S. and abroad. The DOL, Homeland Security and the Department of Justice announced a handful of enforcement initiatives to crack down on data security in the immigration space. These came in response to a greater initiative to increase scrutiny of popular employment-based visa programs like the H-1B visa.
Even more recently, President Trump signed the National Security Presidential Memorandum that directed the establishment of a National Vetting Center.
In Europe, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been implemented in the EU and the UK, overhauling standards on immigration data security across Europe.
How can I ensure immigration data security?
Here are some of the security features that can help keep your data secure and compliant with new regulations:
- Secure access with SSL, multi-factor authentication and firewalls
- Permissions and access levels dependent on role
- Encrypted storage
- Data center security
- Consistent system monitoring and audits
Want to learn how to keep your data in compliance? Contact us to learn more!
