New Federal Rule for IowaWORKS: Want to Work in Iowa? Are You Legal?

As of Wednesday, September 10th, 2025, some Iowa job seekers must now prove they can legally work in the U.S. before receiving one-on-one help from IowaWORKS.

Who This Affects

• Job seekers looking for personalized services like career counseling, resume help, or job search guidance.
• Only if you have not received unemployment benefits in the past 12 months.

Good news: If you’ve filed for unemployment in the past year, you’re already verified. In that case, you don’t need to provide additional documents.

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What You Need to Show / Where's Your Proof?

• U.S. citizens: Proof of citizenship (passport, birth certificate, or other official documents).
• Non-citizens: Proof of legal work authorization (green card, Employment Authorization Document, or similar).

IowaWORKS also uses the SAVE system to verify temporary work authorization for non-U.S. citizens, rechecking at least every three months.

How to Submit Your Documents

1. Upload online: Log in to IowaWORKS.gov
   and upload your documents securely.
2. In person: Bring your documents to an IowaWORKS center. Staff can photograph and upload them for you. Only electronic copies are kept. No paper copies are maintained.

What Happens If You Don’t Show Proof

Without the proper documents, you cannot receive individualized services. That means:

• No personal job search help
• No resume coaching
• No one-on-one career guidance

You can still attend general workshops, ask questions, and access publicly available resources, but any personalized services or support will be limited.

Why It Matters

This federal rule ensures everyone receiving personalized workforce services is legally eligible to work in the U.S. By having your documents ready, you can avoid delays and focus on what matters most: finding your next job or career path. For more info and a list of accepted documents, visit workforce.iowa.gov/work-authorization.