Business and Professions Code section 9998.12
(a)
The Department of Industrial Relations shall submit to the Legislature, by January 1, 2028, and in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, a study on how to extend foreign labor contractor registration requirements to those foreign labor contractors recruiting or soliciting workers authorized to work in the United States under visa programs not described in either subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 9998. This study shall, at a minimum, include all of the following:(1)
An overview of the federal visa programs not covered by this chapter’s foreign labor contractor registration program.(2)
An analysis of the demographics of foreign workers in California authorized to work through the federal visa programs described in paragraph (1).(3)
A discussion of any additional steps the Labor Commissioner would need to take to ensure all foreign labor contractors are required to register pursuant to this chapter.(4)
A discussion of operational needs, including access to data, fee increases to cover costs, and enforcement options already available pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 9998.8.(5)
Recommendations of options to expand this chapter’s foreign labor contractor registration program that considers the following:(A)
Risks to workers authorized to work in the United States through the visa programs described in paragraph (1).(B)
Costs and staffing needs to expand the registration process required for foreign labor contractors under this chapter.(C)
Enforcement costs and options, including those authorized by subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 9998.8.(D)
The operational constraints described in paragraph (4).(b)
The Department of Industrial Relations may contract with a third party to conduct the study described in subdivision (a).(c)
Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2029.
Source:
Section 9998.12, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=9998.12. (updated Jan. 1, 2026; accessed Dec. 29, 2025).
