TIMETABLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION

The immigration legislation passed Friday by Congress will become effective as soon as President Reagan signs it. The law will set into motion a complex and extended series of events affecting employers, job applicants and farm workers. Here are some of the key dates in the schedule, using November as an approximate starting point:

EMPLOYER PENALTIES

Nov. 1, 1986 to April 30, 1987. Federal officials develop regulations and notify employers of the new law and how to comply with it. It requires that they keep records showing the legal residency status of their workers.

May 1, 1987 to April 30, 1988. Employers caught knowingly hiring an illegal alien receive a warning for the first offense, but can be fined for subsequent offenses.

May 1, 1988. Penalty program goes fully into effect. Employers are subject to fines beginning at $250 per illegal alien for the first offense and jail terms up to six months for repeated offenses.

Nov. 1, 1989. The General Accounting Office must report the findings of a study on whether the sanctions have resulted in significant job discrimination against ethnics.

Feb. 1, 1990. Should the GAO study find discrimination has occurred, Congress must consider a joint resolution that, if passed, would terminate the sanctions. The President would not have to sign such a resolution for it to become effective.

AMNESTY PROGRAM FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS

Nov. 1, 1986 to April 30, 1987. Deportation is suspended for most illegal aliens, except those caught at the border.

May 1, 1987 to April 30, 1988. Illegal aliens who have lived in the country since before Jan. 1, 1982, can apply for temporary resident status and work permits.

Nov. 1, 1988. Earliest date for those granted temporary resident status to apply for permanent residency. Temporary residents must wait 18 months to apply for permanent status, and from that point have one year to apply or face deportation.

May 1, 1992. Earliest date an alien legalized under the program could become eligible for most federal welfare benefits.

Nov. 1, 1993. Earliest date a legalized alien could be granted full citizenship. Aliens must be permanent residents for five years before they can become citizens.

SPECIAL LEGALIZATION PROGRAM FOR ALIEN FARM WORKERS

Nov. 1, 1986 to May 1, 1987. Federal officials inform farm workers and agricultural businesses about provisions of new law.

May 1, 1987 to Nov. 1, 1988. Aliens who can demonstrate they have lived in the United States and worked in farm-related industries for at least 90 days in the 12-month period ending May 1, 1986, can apply for temporary resident status.

Sept. 30, 1989. The secretaries of agriculture and labor must examine whether there is an adequate supply of farm labor in the country. If they determine there is a shortage, they can issue an order permitting the importation of new so-called replenishment alien farm workers who would be granted temporary resident status. The study is to be updated annually.

Nov. 1, 1989. Earliest date that legalized farm workers could apply for permanent resident status. To qualify, they must prove they worked in agriculture for at least 90 days in 12-month periods ending May 1, 1984; May 1, 1985, and May 1, 1986.

Nov. 1, 1990. Earliest date for other legalized farm workers to apply for permanent status.

Oct. 1, 1992. Earliest date replenishment workers could apply for permanent status.

Nov. 1, 1994. Earliest date legalized farm workers could become citizens.