Article 4Obligations on employers

1.

Member States shall oblige employers to:

(a)

require that a third-country national before taking up the employment holds and presents to the employer a valid residence permit or other authorisation for his or her stay;

(b)

keep for at least the duration of the employment a copy or record of the residence permit or other authorisation for stay available for possible inspection by the competent authorities of the Member States;

(c)

notify the competent authorities designated by Member States of the start of employment of third-country nationals within a period laid down by each Member State.

2.

Member States may provide for a simplified procedure for notification under paragraph 1(c) where the employers are natural persons and the employment is for their private purposes.

Member States may provide that notification under paragraph 1(c) is not required where the employee has been granted long-term residence status under Council Directive 2003/109/EC of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents11.

3.

Member States shall ensure that employers who have fulfilled their obligations set out in paragraph 1 shall not be held liable for an infringement of the prohibition referred to in Article 3 unless the employers knew that the document presented as a valid residence permit or another authorisation for stay was a forgery.