Workday HCM is the system of record for thousands of companies that sponsor foreign national employees. While Workday stores visa types, expiration dates, and government IDs, it was not built to manage the full immigration lifecycle. In a 2026 enforcement environment defined by a new wage-weighted H-1B lottery, a $100,000 consular processing payment condition, and a significant increase in ICE audits, employers and employees need more than a data field in an HRIS. This guide covers what Workday can and cannot do for immigration, the compliance obligations every employer must track by visa type, and how to close the gaps with a dedicated immigration platform like Alma.
Workday stores immigration data in two sections of the Worker Profile under Personal Data. The Passports and Visas section uses configurable "Visa ID Types" that organizations can customize to include H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, EAD, and other classifications, along with fields for identification number, issued date, expiration date, and document attachments. The Government IDs section tracks national IDs, SSNs, and Employment Authorization Documents with similar fields.
For expiration monitoring, Workday can send automated alerts at set intervals before work authorization expiration, typically configured for six months and three months. Citizenship status changes flow through the "Change Personal Information" business process.
Workday's strongest immigration feature is its native Electronic Form I-9 capability. Section 1 is completed electronically by employees, Section 2 by designated I-9 coordinators with document review, and Supplement B handles reverification and rehires. A pre-built E-Verify Cloud Connect connector automatically submits cases to DHS when Section 2 is completed and writes verification results back to the Worker Profile. Standard reports cover I-9 Process Status, Expiring I-9 Documents, Foreign National Expiring Work Authorization, and E-Verify Verifications.
The gaps are structural. Workday manages employees, not immigration processes. The most notable limitations for employers:
Even among Workday customers, H-1B, L-1, TN, and O-1 cases are routinely tracked in spreadsheets alongside the HRIS, creating compliance risk and operational inefficiency.
Workday compensates for its native gaps through its Integration Cloud, which enables connection to dedicated immigration case management platforms. The most relevant integration tools for immigration:
Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB) provides a no-code interface for batch imports and exports. Immigration teams use EIBs to periodically export worker visa data to external systems or import updated case statuses back into Workday. EIBs support XML, CSV, and JSON formats with scheduling and encryption.
Reports as a Service (RaaS) turns any custom Workday report into a REST API endpoint. HR teams can build a report containing all workers' visa types, expiration dates, and work authorization status, then expose it as an API that a dedicated immigration platform consumes automatically.
Workday Studio supports complex bidirectional integrations with conditional logic and error handling, enabling real-time data flow between Workday and immigration platforms when job changes, salary updates, or location transfers occur.
Alma integrates with Workday as part of its HRIS/ATS integration suite. Alma's platform connects with Workday, ADP, UKG, BambooHR, Rippling, Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, and dozens of other systems. The integration enables automated case initiation when HR events occur, real-time case status synchronization back to Workday, centralized compliance dashboards for immigration managers, and proactive expiration alerts. The platform is SOC 2 Type I compliant and in observation for SOC 2 Type II with direct attorney access, an industry-high approval rate, and a two-week document turnaround on employment-based petitions (contingent on timely client responsiveness; excludes USCIS processing time).
Every employer-sponsored visa category carries specific tracking requirements and deadlines. Workday can store the data points, but managing the workflows, deadlines, and compliance triggers requires dedicated immigration tooling.
The H-1B permits temporary employment in specialty occupations for up to six years (initial three years, one three-year extension). Extensions beyond six years are possible under AC21 Section 106(a) if a PERM or I-140 has been pending for 365+ days (granted in one-year increments), or under AC21 Section 104(c) if an I-140 is approved but the priority date is not current (granted in three-year increments).
Key employer tracking obligations: I-797 approval dates, I-94 expiration, LCA validity and worksite posting dates, PAF contents and maintenance, the 240-day rule for timely-filed extensions (per 8 CFR § 274a.12(b)(20)), AC21 eligibility milestones, and the 60-day grace period upon termination (per 8 CFR § 214.1(l)(2)). Extensions may be filed up to six months before expiration but must be filed before current status expires; filing four to six months in advance is a common practitioner approach.
2026 changes that increase tracking complexity:
LCA and PAF compliance: A certified LCA from DOL is required before every H-1B petition. The LCA must be posted at all worksites for 10 days (per 20 CFR § 655.734(a)(1)(ii)). The PAF must be maintained within one working day of filing (per 20 CFR § 655.760(a)). Remote work locations outside the original Metropolitan Statistical Area generally require a new prevailing wage determination and LCA, plus an amended H-1B petition, though the short-term placement exception under 20 CFR § 655.735 permits up to 30 workdays (or 60 in some cases) at a new location without a new LCA.
The O-1 visa has no annual cap, no lottery, and no prevailing wage requirement. Initial periods run up to three years with unlimited extensions: up to one year for continuation of the same event, or up to three years for a new event or activity (per USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 2, Part M, Chapter 9).
Key employer tracking obligations: I-797 validity dates, itinerary dates (all work must fall within the approved itinerary period), advisory opinion requirements, and contract documentation. Each employer needs its own O-1 petition. Extensions require the same level of documentation as the initial petition.
L-1A (managers/executives) allows up to seven years; L-1B (specialized knowledge) allows up to five years. New office petitions receive only one year initially and must show active business operations to extend.
Key employer tracking obligations: One continuous year of foreign employment within the past three years (per INA § 101(a)(15)(L)), qualifying corporate relationship documentation, cumulative time toward maximum stay limits, and new office milestone deadlines. L-1A holders are eligible for EB-1C green card sponsorship.
TN status provides three-year validity with unlimited renewals for Canadian and Mexican citizens in designated professional occupations (per 8 CFR § 214.6(e) (initial admission); § 214.6(h) (extensions)). No LCA is required, and Canadians can apply directly at the port of entry. TN is not dual-intent, which complicates green card planning.
Key employer tracking obligations: Position alignment with the USMCA profession list, credential verification, I-94 expiration dates, and the interplay between TN status and any pending green card applications.
E-2 treaty investor visas (two-year increments, unlimited renewals) require documentation of a substantial, at-risk investment. E-3 visas serve exclusively Australian citizens in specialty occupations with an annual cap of 10,500 (per INA § 214(g)(11)(B)). E-3 requires a certified LCA and PAF maintenance comparable to H-1B requirements, though several H-1B-specific LCA provisions do not apply to E-3, including dependent employer rules under 20 CFR §§ 655.736 through 655.739 and certain PAF elements under 20 CFR § 655.760(a)(7) through (10) (per DOL Fact Sheet #62Y and 20 CFR § 655.700(d)).
Green card sponsorship involves the most complex multi-step tracking of any immigration process. EB-1 categories (extraordinary ability, outstanding researcher, multinational manager) require no PERM and offer the fastest path. EB-2 NIW allows self-petition without PERM. EB-2 and EB-3 with PERM require the full labor certification process.
Given that PERM alone now takes 500+ days and the full green card process can span 3 to 5+ years depending heavily on the beneficiary's country of birth and visa category, the timeline is substantially longer for Indian and Chinese nationals due to per-country backlogs. Per the March 2026 Visa Bulletin Dates for Filing chart, EB-2 India stands at November 1, 2014, and EB-2 China at January 1, 2022. The Final Action Dates are earlier: September 15, 2013 (India) and September 1, 2021 (China). For EB-2 India, this represents an 11+ year wait on the Dates for Filing chart. These timelines highlight the significance of early initiation relative to an employee's H-1B maximum stay date.
Read: PERM processing timelines and status updates for current DOL processing data.
The current Form I-9 (edition 01/20/25) is valid through May 31, 2027. The prior edition (08/01/23) exists in two variants: one with a 07/31/2026 expiration and another with an extended 05/31/2027 expiration. Employers using the 08/01/23 edition with the 07/31/2026 expiration in their electronic I-9 systems must update to the current edition by July 31, 2026. Section 1 must be completed on or before the employee's first day of work and Section 2 within three business days of the start date. I-9s must be retained for three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later (per 8 CFR § 274a.2).
Enforcement has escalated sharply. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 4, 2025, as Public Law 119-21) added 10,000 new ICE officers and approximately $165 billion in total DHS appropriations (approximately $170 billion including related DOD and DOJ funding). A memorandum of understanding between ICE and the IRS, signed April 7, 2025 under 26 U.S.C. § 6103(i)(2), permits the IRS to share individual taxpayer address information with ICE for purposes of locating individuals with final removal orders or under federal criminal investigation; this MOU remains subject to active litigation across multiple jurisdictions. Current I-9 penalties range from approximately $288 to $2,861 per paperwork violation to $716 to $5,724 per unauthorized worker for first offenses (per the January 2, 2025 inflation adjustment, 90 FR 1).
2026 I-9 compliance considerations: Common elements of employer compliance programs include quarterly internal I-9 audits, complete PAFs for all H-1B/E-3/H-1B1 workers, a designated immigration enforcement representative, and manager training on proper responses to government agents. For organizations using Workday's native I-9 module, compatibility with the current form edition and active E-Verify integration are relevant factors, as only E-Verify enrolled employers in good standing qualify for remote I-9 document verification under the DHS Alternative Procedure (per 88 FR 47749).
See how companies are using Alma at tryalma.com/case-studies.
The gap between what Workday stores and what immigration compliance demands is where cases fall through the cracks. Alma's modern immigration platform combines experienced attorneys with technology purpose-built for employer-sponsored immigration.
HRIS integration that works: Alma connects directly with Workday and other HRIS/ATS platforms, enabling automated case initiation from HR events, real-time status updates flowing back to Workday, centralized visibility across all active cases, and proactive expiration and deadline alerts.
Attorney expertise, not just software: Every case is handled by an experienced immigration attorney with direct client access. Clients communicate directly with their assigned attorney, not paralegals or rotating associates.
Transparent, flat-rate pricing: No hourly billing surprises. Published per-visa rates include RFE responses, administrative charges, and attorney consultation calls. Sample rates from Alma's pricing page:
Alma offers tiered plans for startups, growth-stage companies, and enterprises, with volume discounts, 50/50 payment plans, and preferred rates for portfolio companies of Y Combinator, Techstars, Pear VC, and similar programs. Government filing fees and third-party costs (credential evaluations, translations) are billed separately.
Speed and visibility: Two-week document turnaround on all employment-based petitions (contingent on timely client responsiveness; excludes USCIS processing time). Real-time case tracking through Alma's platform gives both HR and employees visibility into every stage.
Get started with Alma to see how the platform integrates with your Workday environment.
No. Workday has no native workflow for PERM tracking. The PERM process involves prevailing wage determination, multi-channel recruitment over 60+ days, a 30-day pre-filing period, ETA-9089 filing, potential DOL audit response, and I-140 filing within 180 days of certification. Each step has interdependent deadlines that require dedicated case management. Employers using Workday can connect it to a platform like Alma that manages the full PERM lifecycle and syncs status updates back to Workday.
USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) can conduct unannounced site visits at any worksite, including remote locations. Relevant records include the full I-129 petition and all supporting documents, the certified LCA with proof of worksite posting, the complete Public Access File, 12 to 24 months of payroll records showing prevailing wage compliance, organizational charts showing reporting relationships, and any third-party placement contracts. Alma's platform stores all case documentation in a centralized, searchable system that supports rapid retrieval during audits.
The wage-weighted lottery effective for the FY 2027 season (registration March 4 to 19, 2026) weights selections by DOL wage level: Level IV gets four chances, Level III three, Level II two, and Level I one. This means employers sponsoring senior, higher-paid roles have significantly better selection odds. Anti-gaming provisions allow USCIS to deny or revoke petitions where wages were inflated to improve odds and later reduced. For employees who are not selected, alternative pathways exist, including O-1 visas and EB-2 NIW Green Cards.
Yes. Alma integrates with Workday as part of its HRIS/ATS integration suite. The integration enables automated case initiation from Workday HR events, bidirectional data sync so case statuses flow back to the Worker Profile, centralized dashboards for immigration managers, and proactive alerts for visa expirations and filing deadlines. Alma also integrates with ADP, UKG, BambooHR, Rippling, Greenhouse, Lever, and Ashby. Contact Alma to discuss integration setup for your organization.
Several alternatives may be faster, more cost-effective, or more reliable than H-1B. O-1 visas have no lottery and no annual cap. L-1 visas enable intracompany transfers for multinational companies. TN visas offer a streamlined path for Canadian and Mexican professionals. E-3 visas serve Australian nationals with a separate, undersubscribed cap. For Green Cards, EB-2 NIW bypasses the PERM process entirely, which can save approximately 22 to 36 months given current DOL processing times. Alma's attorneys evaluate each employee's full profile to identify the optimal strategy across all available categories. See Alma's visa guides for detailed breakdowns of each option.
