How to Verify Someone's Right to Work in the UK

Verifying someone's right to work in the UK is essential for employers. Learn how to check an employee's immigration status and what documents are needed.

How to Verify Someone's Right to Work in the UK

Verifying someone's right to work in the UK is a crucial step for employers. It is important to ensure that all employees have the legal right to work in the country, as failure to do so can result in serious legal consequences. To ensure that you are compliant with the law, you must check the immigration status of any potential employee or employee before they start working. The Home Office provides a service to verify an employee's immigration status if you are unable to do so online.

Additionally, if a job applicant has provided you with their participation code, you can use a different service to check their right to work. You will not need to check any documents in this case. It is important to be aware of the latest news and updates regarding employment rules, as Brexit and COVID-19 have brought about many changes. The UK government has a useful tool that provides the latest updates on how to prove your right to work.

Student visas allow a person to work up to 20 hours a week on a temporary basis, but only if they are studying full time. They are allowed to work full time during holidays outside of school hours, but they cannot work permanently. If you are unsure of how many hours you can work, it is best to review your immigration documents or talk to your education provider. It is illegal for employers to hire illegal workers, including students with expired visas, students who work longer hours than allowed, and people with visitor visas. Employers cannot use the excuse that they did not know that an employee was an illegal worker; they must show that they have done the appropriate checks before offering them a job. When verifying someone's right to work in the UK, it is important to check all documents carefully.

All documents must have matching photo identification and should look like the person they claim to be. It is the employer's responsibility to carry out due diligence checks on all employees. For migrants to work in the UK, they must have an appropriate visa that allows them the right to work, or they must have an indefinite residence permit.