Right to Work Check
Tanım
A right to work check is the legally required process by which a UK employer confirms, before employment begins, that a person is allowed to work in the UK. Checks are carried out by manual document inspection, the Home Office online service, or certified identity-verification technology. A correct check gives the employer a statutory excuse against illegal-working penalties.
How the check works
Every UK employer must check every new hire's right to work before their first day, using one of three approved methods: a manual check of original documents, the Home Office online checking service (using a share code and the worker's date of birth), or Identity Document Validation Technology through a certified provider.
For people with digital immigration status, such as an eVisa, the online service is typically used. Where permission is time-limited, the employer must record the expiry and re-check before it lapses. Agencies advising employers on UK work visas often build these checks into onboarding so records stay secure and auditable.
Penalties and compliance
Doing the check correctly (right method, right timing, evidence retained) gives the employer a statutory excuse: if the worker later turns out not to have permission, the employer is protected from a civil penalty. Getting it wrong removes that protection.
Penalties for employing someone without the right to work can be severe. Civil penalties per illegal worker were increased in 2024 (widely reported as up to £60,000, so verify the current maximum), and knowingly employing an illegal worker is a criminal offence carrying imprisonment and an unlimited fine. Employers in the United Kingdom should follow the current Home Office code of practice.
Right to work compliance depends on doing checks at the right time and keeping the evidence, especially for time-limited permission. VisaCRM can store check records and flag when a worker's permission is due to expire for a re-check.
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What is a right to work check?
It is the process a UK employer must complete before someone starts work to confirm they are legally allowed to do the job. It can be done by checking original documents manually, using the Home Office online service with a share code, or via certified identity-verification technology. Done correctly, it protects the employer from illegal-working penalties.
When must a right to work check be done?
Before employment starts. For workers with time-limited permission, the employer must also do a follow-up check before that permission expires to keep its statutory excuse. Doing the initial check late, or missing a follow-up, can leave the employer exposed to a civil penalty if the person turns out not to have the right to work.
What are the penalties for employing an illegal worker?
An employer can face a civil penalty for each illegal worker, and the maximum was raised in 2024 (reported as up to £60,000 per worker, so confirm the current figure). Knowingly employing someone without permission is a criminal offence that can bring imprisonment and an unlimited fine. Proper checks give a statutory excuse against the civil penalty.
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