UK Right to Work Share Code: How to Generate, Check & Prove Employment Eligibility

A Right to Work share code is a secure, temporary online verification key issued by the UK Home Office. It enables prospective employers to check your immigration status, permitted working hours, contract conditions, and expiry dates digitally on the official government database. By using the online checking service, employers obtain a statutory excuse against civil penalties (which can reach up to £45,000 per illegal worker for repeat non-compliance). Consequently, no registered UK business will allow you to start a shift without completing this check.

Generating your code is completely free and completed on the official Gov.uk website: 1. **Visit the Gov.uk Portal:** Navigate to the page titled *"Prove your right to work to an employer: get a share code"*. 2. **Select Your Identity Document:** Choose the document you used when applying for your visa or digital eVisa (e.g., Passport number, BRP number, or National Identity Card). 3. **Enter Personal Details:** Input your date of birth matching Home Office records exactly. 4. **Security Verification:** Enter the 6-digit one-time security code sent to your registered mobile phone number or email address linked to your UKVI account. 5. **Select Verification Purpose:** Choose **"To prove my right to work in the UK"**. (Ensure you do not select "To prove my right to rent", as rent codes cannot be used by employers). 6. **Obtain Your Code:** Your 9-character code (e.g., `W12-345-678`) will appear on screen, valid for 90 days.

To complete the statutory check, your employer logs into the companion service: *"View a job applicant's right to work details"*. They input: - Your 9-character Share Code - Your date of birth The system presents a secure government screen displaying your official photograph, legal name, visa status, start and end dates, and exact work permissions (e.g. *"Can work full time without restrictions"* or *"Can work up to 20 hours per week during term-time"*). The employer must confirm that the photograph matches you in person or via live video link.

Many jobseekers encounter technical hurdles when retrieving their status: - **"Details do not match our records":** Verify that your surname and given names are entered in the exact order found on your visa decision letter. Ensure your passport number does not contain spaces. - **Pending Visa Applications (Section 3C Leave):** If your previous visa expired while a valid in-time extension or switching application is pending with the Home Office, your right to work is preserved under Section 3C. In this case, your employer must submit a request to the **Employer Checking Service (ECS)**, which issues a Positive Verification Notice (PVN) valid for 6 months.