How long does a Right to Work check take?

Once the employee submits their documents and share code, the verification is typically completed within minutes. The full process from purchase to report can be done same-day.

Do I need a share code for every employee?

Share codes are only required for employees with digital immigration status (e.g., EU Settlement Scheme holders, eVisa holders). British and Irish passport holders can be verified through a standard ID Verification service.

How long is a share code valid?

Share codes are valid for 90 days from the date they are generated. If a code expires before the employer uses it, the worker can generate a new one from the government portal at no cost.

What is a statutory excuse?

A statutory excuse is your legal defence against a civil penalty if it turns out an employee does not have the right to work. You obtain this by conducting a compliant Right to Work check before the person starts working.

Can I use the same check for different employees?

No, each check is for one individual. However, you can purchase packs of 3 or 10 checks at a discounted rate. Unused checks never expire and can be used whenever you need them.

What if my employee doesn't have a share code?

If the employee doesn't have digital immigration status, they may not be eligible for a share code. In this case, you may need to conduct a manual document check, or use an ID Verification service for British/Irish passport holders.

What happens if a share code has expired?

If a share code has expired, the worker can simply generate a new one for free from the gov.uk portal. Share codes can be regenerated as many times as needed. The expiry only applies to the code itself, not the worker's immigration status.

Can I check right to work without a share code?

Yes, for British and Irish passport holders you can conduct a right to work check using Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) or a manual document check. Share codes are specifically for workers with digital immigration status such as EU settled status or eVisa holders.

How much does a Right to Work check cost?

A single Right to Work check costs £15.50 (excl. VAT). Volume pricing reduces the price per check as you buy more: 3 checks cost £44.00 (£14.67 each) and 10 checks cost £140.00 (£14.00 each), sliding down to as low as £5.58 per check at high volumes. There is no subscription and unused checks never expire.

Do I need to re-check employees I have already verified?

You do not need to repeat a completed check for employees with permanent right to work (List A). For workers with time-limited permission (List B), you must carry out a follow-up check before their current permission expires to retain your statutory excuse. When staff transfer to you under TUPE, you have 60 days from the transfer date to complete fresh Right to Work checks.

What is a follow-up check and when is it needed?

A follow-up check is a repeat Right to Work check carried out before a worker's time-limited immigration permission expires. It applies to List B workers, such as those on a visa or pre-settled status. Diarising the expiry date and obtaining a fresh share code before it lapses keeps your statutory excuse valid and avoids civil penalties.

Right to Work Check with Share Code | Buy Online

Understand UK Right to Work share codes, how employees obtain them and how employers use the official Home Office service to check them.

What is a Right to Work share code?

A share code is a short code generated through the Home Office service so an employer can view a person's digital immigration status for work.

How the process works

The worker generates a code for the right-to-work purpose and gives it to the employer with their date of birth. The employer then completes the official online check.