Can individuals who are not U.S. citizens collect UI benefits?
To collect UI benefits aliens must establish that they were in satisfactory immigration status and authorized to work in the United States when earning the wages used to establish their claim. In addition, the claimant must provide proof that they remain in satisfactory immigration status and are authorized to work each week that benefits are claimed. EDD verifies immigration status and work authorization through an electronic system maintained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
To collect UI benefits, non-citizen applicants must establish that they were in satisfactory immigration status and authorized to work in the United States, when earning the wages used to establish their claim. In addition, the non-citizen applicants must provide proof that they remain in satisfactory immigration status and are authorized to work each week that benefits are claimed. Non-citizen applicants will be required to provide specific information from their employment authorization documents issued to them by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In some cases, non-citizen applicants will be asked to provide legible copies of their employment authorization documents. EDD verifies immigration status and work authorization through an electronic system maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.
