Right to Work Share Code: a Full 2025 Guide

A share code is a secure online identifier issued by the Home Office so individuals can digitally prove their right to work to employers and other official entities. Introduced alongside the EU Settlement Scheme and digital visas, share codes simplify right to work checks by eliminating reliance on physical documents.

Each generated share code UK right to work is valid for 90 days, within which employers must perform a check using the official gov.uk share code right to work check platform. Employers typically ask job applicants or current employees to provide a share code for right to work verification purposes. This share code right to work system has significantly streamlined the immigration verification process.
 

Employers in the UK must conduct mandatory right to work checks under the immigration rules established by the Home Office. Properly verifying each employee’s right to work documents or digital share codes is not optional – it is a strict legal requirement.

Failure to adequately check employee right to work can have severe consequences:

• Employers face civil penalties up to £60,000 per illegal worker if they fail to correctly check share code right to work status.
   
• Serious breaches may result in criminal charges against employers, including possible imprisonment for knowingly employing illegal workers.

Conducting compliant checks involves using the official online platform to check right to work share code, ensuring the proof right to work presented matches the details provided by the employee. Proper record-keeping following each right to work check employer action is crucial to evidence compliance in case of audits by UK immigration authorities.

The subsequent sections of this guide will detail exactly how workers can get right to work share code, how HR departments can seamlessly check a right to work share code, and best practices for continued compliance with UK immigration regulations.
 

Not every job applicant in the UK needs to provide a right to work share code, but many do—particularly those with digital immigration status. Employers must understand exactly who is required to generate and submit a share code for right to work checks, as failure to perform the correct verification can result in legal penalties.

4.1 Worker Categories That Must Provide a Share Code

The following individuals are required to get a share code for right to work and submit it to employers for verification through the GOV.UK right to work check system:

• Skilled Worker visa holders (Must be checked via share code right to work UK)
   
• EEA citizens with digital status (Includes EU, EEA, Swiss citizens with Settled or Pre-Settled Status)
   
• BRP/BRC/eVisa holders (Biometric Residence Permit, Biometric Residence Card, eVisas)
   
• Frontier Worker Permit holders (Must provide code for digital right to work check)
   
• International students (Tier 4) (Work limits apply – share code check confirms working conditions)
   
• Temporary visa holders (Includes seasonal/agricultural/gig-economy workers)

4.2 Who Is Exempt from Providing a Share Code

The following categories are currently exempt from needing to provide a share code right to work:

• British and Irish citizens — can provide a valid passport or birth certificate for manual right to work checks.
   
• Existing employees — if their original right to work in the UK was verified before the implementation of digital checks and there’s no change in their immigration status.
   
• People with Indefinite Leave to Remain and physical documents — may still be using documents from List A under older Home Office guidance.

However, digital status is being rapidly expanded. Employers should be prepared for the shift to digital-only checks.
 

For individuals with digital immigration status, generating a right to work share code is a straightforward process done entirely online. This code allows the employer to check right to work via GOV.UK’s official systems.

5.1 Step-by-Step Guide to Generating a Share Code on GOV.UK

To create a share code for right to work, employees must:

• Visit the GOV.UK “Prove your right to work to an employer” page
• Click “Start now"
• Select the type of document used for immigration (eVisa, BRP, BRC)
• Input the ID number and date of birth.
• Choose "prove your right to work" as the purpose.
   

A unique right to work share code will be generated instantly.
This code can then be copied and shared with the employer, either directly or through the GOV.UK platform. The sharecode right to work is valid for 90 days from generation.

5.2 Validity, Expiry, and Reissuing of Share Codes

Each share code UK right to work is valid for 90 days. If it expires before the employer checks it, a new one must be generated. Employers must always ensure that they are performing share code right to work check using a current and valid code.

A new code can be generated at any time using the same steps listed above. Workers can generate as many codes as needed, for different employers if applying for multiple roles.

5.3 Tips for Workers When Generating a Share Code

• Use accurate personal details: Mistakes in name or document number will cause the right to work check to fail.
   
• Always choose the correct purpose: You must select "prove your right to work" to generate the correct type of share code.
   
• Save the code safely: Email it to yourself or your employer. It can also be sent directly through the GOV.UK portal.
   
• Don’t delay: Share codes are required before work starts. Delays can lead to job offers being withdrawn.
   

As a UK employer, it’s vital to correctly perform a right to work check using the share code right to work provided by employees. Conducting accurate and timely right to work checks online is a legal requirement that helps your business avoid severe penalties, such as fines or even criminal charges.
Here’s a detailed, step-by-step process employers must follow to properly check employee right to work using the gov.uk share code checker:

Step 1: Request the Employee’s Share Code

Ask your job applicant or employee to provide a valid right to work share code. This code must specifically prove right to work, as other share codes generated for different purposes won’t be acceptable for employment checks. Remind your employees that a right to work share code is valid for only 90 days.

Step 2: Navigate to GOV.UK’s Official Portal

Go to the official “Check a job applicant's right to work” page on GOV.UK, which is specifically designed for employers to securely check right to work share codes and ensure compliance with Home Office requirements.

Step 3: Enter the Provided Share Code and Employee Details

Enter the employee’s provided share code right to work along with their date of birth. This step is essential to verify that the right to work check share code matches the applicant’s personal details accurately.
 

Step 4: Verify and Document Right to Work Status

Review the displayed proof of right to work in UK carefully, ensuring the immigration status is current and valid. Save or print the verification result as it provides statutory evidence that your business has correctly performed the necessary right to work checks.
 

Compliance Checklist for Employers:

• Ensure each employee has provided an appropriate right to work share code
• Perform all right to work checks before employment begins
• Maintain clear records of each check for auditing and legal compliance purposes
• Regularly review your internal compliance processes to avoid oversight.
   

While the right to work share code system is now standard for most individuals with digital immigration status, some situations still require employers to use alternative methods to check right to work. Understanding these alternatives is vital to maintaining full legal compliance.

Manual Right to Work Checks (List A & B Documents)

If a candidate does not have a digital immigration status or cannot generate a share code for right to work, employers must revert to the traditional right to work check method using physical documents. These documents fall into two categories:

• List A: Documents that show a permanent right to work in the UK (e.g. British passport, naturalisation certificate)
• List B: Documents showing a temporary right to work (e.g. visa with expiry date)

When using physical documents:

• You must check them in the presence of the employee (in person or via live video call)
• Copies must be kept for at least two years after employment ends
• You must record the date the check was completed

Digital Identity Checks for British and Irish Citizens

For British and Irish passport holders, employers can use Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) through certified Identity Service Providers (IDSPs). This method can replace manual checks for UK and Irish nationals but cannot be used for non-citizens.

Employer Checking Service (ECS)

When an individual cannot provide documents or a right to work share code due to a pending visa application or appeal, employers must use the Employer Checking Service. This government service can provide a Positive Verification Notice (PVN), giving temporary protection against penalties for up to 6 months.
 

One of the most common pitfalls for UK employers is failing to perform follow-up right to work checks when employees hold time-limited permission to work. Even if an initial right to work check share code was completed correctly, employers must track expiry dates and conduct repeat checks on time.

When Follow-Up Checks Are Required:

• Employee has a visa with a set expiry date
• Initial check was done under List B (Group 1 or 2)
• Status was verified using a share code right to work with temporary conditions
   

What Can Go Wrong:

• Letting a visa expire without rechecking = no statutory excuse
• Failing to verify updated status via new share code = legal exposure
• Inadequate records = breach of Home Office rules
   

Automate Compliance and Right to Work Checks with Nation.Better

To support employers in meeting these ongoing obligations, Nation.better has launched a powerful new feature: the Right to Work Check (RTWC) tool — now included at no additional cost with your compliance subscription.

Here’s how our right to work check service helps you:

• Fast, Accurate Checks: Manual document checks or chasing share codes are time-consuming. Our tool simplifies the process, reducing admin time from hours to minutes.
   
• Employee-Friendly: Employees follow a clear step-by-step submission flow. You receive a ready-to-approve compliance report.
   
• Never Miss a Check: Automated follow-up scheduling ensures you never miss a visa expiry or re-check deadline.
   
• Audit-Ready Reports: Every check is securely logged, making your organisation instantly ready for any Home Office inspection.
   
• Expert Guidance Built In: Combines compliance automation with the immigration knowledge Nation.Better is known for.