Right to Work Guidance Notes

These guidance notes on right to work in the UK checks can help employers comply with their obligation to check and record the immigration and working status of employees.

All UK employers are legally required to check and record the immigration status of every job applicant and employee, in order to verify their right to work in the UK. The type of right to work checks required depends on factors such as the individual's nationality and residence status.

Employers' duty to check right to work

The Home Office's Right to Work checklist gives details of which right to work documents must be provided by individuals to employers, and how employers should carry out document checks in order to meet the required standards for compliance.

The three ways to check an applicant's right to work

Employers must check the applicant's right to work in one of three ways.

• Online check. An online check using the share code the applicant gives them. This is the route for holders of an eVisa, EU Settlement Scheme status, points-based status, a BN(O) visa or a Frontier Worker permit.
• Manual check. A manual check, by physically meeting the applicant to check and copy their original documents. This is the route for anyone who cannot obtain a share code, including British and Irish citizens, who cannot get one.
• IDSP check. For holders of a valid British or Irish passport only, appointing an Identity Service Provider (IDSP) using Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) to check the passport on the employer's behalf, as an alternative to checking the original documents. A list of certified IDSPs can be found on the gov.uk site.

For further details, see https://www.gov.uk/check-job-applicant-right-to-work

Right to Work Guidance Notes is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.