Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Right to work

Employers need to check a candidate’s right to work in the UK before they start employment. The way HR checks employees’ eligibility to work in UK companies has changed since the pandemic, and digital right to work checks were introduced on 1 October 2022.

There will be two types of check: a digital check via a UK government certified digital identification service provider (IDSP) and a manual check (in person). The type of check employers are required to conduct will depend on the status of the job applicant.

Employers will no longer be able to use the adjusted right to work checking process that was introduced in response to the pandemic. If employers wish to continue carrying out checks remotely for British or Irish applicants they must use the services of an IDSP or otherwise will need to complete checks in person. From 6 April 2022 employers must use online right to work checks for foreign nationals who have a biometric residence card, residence permit or frontier work permit. Candidates can provide their prospective employer with a share code so the organisation can check this against the Home Office online checking service.

Failing to ensure someone has the right to work in the UK could result in an organisation receiving a civil penalty of up to £60,000 for each worker, or five years in prison if an individual is found guilty of employing someone they knew or had reasonable cause to believe did not have the eligibility to work in the UK.


Right to work – latest news and advice for employers

    • Right to work
    • Construction
    • Latest News

    Architects call for review of sponsored worker visa rules

    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 18 Feb 2025
    by Kavitha Sivasubramaniam 18 Feb 2025

    Architects are urging the government to rethink the introduction of new rates to sponsor overseas skilled workers for the sector.

    • Right to work
    • Latest News
    • Migrant workers

    Immigration costs: what can employers pass onto sponsored workers?

    by Vanessa Ganguin 29 Jan 2025
    by Vanessa Ganguin 29 Jan 2025

    What is the latest guidance on the sponsorship and visa costs that can and can’t be passed onto a migrant employee?

    • Artificial intelligence
    • Right to work
    • Latest News

    Government to review visas for high-skilled workers

    by Jo Faragher 22 Jan 2025
    by Jo Faragher 22 Jan 2025

    The UK government will publish an immigration white paper later this year that will review the current rules around recruiting high-skilled workers from overseas.

    • Right to work
    • Latest News
    • Economics, government & business

    What employers need to know about immigration in 2025

    by Chetal Patel and Aisha Choudhry 9 Jan 2025
    by Chetal Patel and Aisha Choudhry 9 Jan 2025

    What should organisations looking to bring in overseas talent look out for in 2025, asks Bates Wells’ Chetal Patel and Aisha Choudhry

    • Expatriates
    • Right to work
    • Europe

    How to help employees on temporary Ukraine schemes stay long-term

    by Alexander Finch 23 Dec 2024
    by Alexander Finch 23 Dec 2024

    What options do employees in the UK on Ukraine schemes have if they want to stay on in the long-term?

    • Right to work
    • Latest News
    • Economics, government & business

    Policies to reduce need for overseas workers may not succeed, say experts

    by Adam McCulloch 20 Dec 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 20 Dec 2024

    MAC annual report points to need for nuanced approach for reducing immigration while filling roles with domestic workers.

    • Right to work
    • Employment law
    • Latest News

    Ministers launch crackdown on migrant worker visa abuse

    by Adam McCulloch 28 Nov 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 28 Nov 2024

    Businesses that repeatedly flout visa rules or commit serious employment breaches will be barred from hiring overseas workers, the Home Office has announced.

    • Right to work
    • Latest News
    • Recruitment & retention

    Sponsor licence numbers up 44% year on year

    by Jo Faragher 16 Oct 2024
    by Jo Faragher 16 Oct 2024

    The number of businesses obtaining sponsor licences to hire overseas talent went up by 44% year-on-year in August, according to data obtained by Jobbatical.

    • Right to work
    • Latest News
    • Labour market

    MAC to review skills shortages annually in key sectors

    by Jo Faragher 25 Sep 2024
    by Jo Faragher 25 Sep 2024

    The Home Office has issued further details of how it intends to reduce the flow of migrant workers into the UK.

    • Right to work
    • NHS
    • Latest News

    Two-thirds of migrant nursing staff thinking of leaving UK over costs

    by Adam McCulloch 29 Aug 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 29 Aug 2024

    A new Royal College of Nursing (RCN) report has claimed that two-thirds of migrant nursing staff are considering leaving the UK because of the cost of living.

    • Right to work
    • NHS
    • Carers

    Steep visa fall to trigger ‘skills catastrophe’ for health and social care

    by Adam McCulloch 23 Aug 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 23 Aug 2024

    Personnel Today asks whether the new wage threshold and dependants ban are working only too well – and may cause lasting damage to health services.

    • Right to work
    • Latest News
    • Immigration

    Huge rise in cancelled sponsor licences for overseas workers

    by Adam McCulloch 22 Aug 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 22 Aug 2024

    In the second quarter of 2024 some 1,023 skilled worker licences were suspended (524) or revoked (499). Last year's figure for the same quarter was 117 suspended (89) or revoked (28).

    • Right to work
    • STEM
    • Manufacturing

    Minister puts onus on homegrown talent in tech sectors

    by Adam McCulloch 22 Aug 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 22 Aug 2024

    New Home Office figures continue to show a downward trend in work visa applicant numbers, as minister looks to discourage tech sector from searching for overseas talent.

    • STEM
    • Right to work
    • Latest News

    Migrant numbers drop further after curbs on visas

    by Jo Faragher 9 Aug 2024
    by Jo Faragher 9 Aug 2024

    As the number of migrant workers entering Britain has continued to decline due to curbs on visas, the home secretary...

    • Right to work
    • Latest News
    • Skills shortages

    Skilled worker visas: could there be an easier option for employers?

    by Alexei Zuyev 5 Aug 2024
    by Alexei Zuyev 5 Aug 2024

    Changes to the Skilled Worker Visa have made it challenging for employers, but the former intra-company transfer route could be a useful alternative.

Newer Posts
Older Posts

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+