Get a share code to prove your right to work in the UK

Obtaining a share code is one way that non-British and non-Irish citizens can prove their right to work in the UK. Introduced in 2021, this Home Office online service enables individuals to generate unique codes to share with employers. When entered alongside an individual’s date of birth, the employer can view their immigration status and check their right to work in real time.

This comprehensive guide explains everything you need to know about share codes and proving your right to work in the UK, including the steps required to get a share code online. We also discuss who can and cannot apply for a code, and when you might need to provide original immigration documents to an employer instead.

What is a share code?

A share code is a unique combination of letters and numbers that verifies an individual’s immigration status and right to work in the UK. It comprises 9 alphanumeric characters, for example, WB1 CD2 34E. All right-to-work share codes begin with ‘W’.

If you are a non-British or non-Irish citizen and want to start working in the UK, you can apply for a share code online. This is an alternative to providing your original immigration documents to employers. 

Issued by UK Visas and Immigration, which is part of the Home Office, a share code is valid for 90 days. Employers can use it to check your right-to-work details online, including:

• the types of jobs you are allowed to do in the UK 
• how long you are permitted to work in the UK
• your photograph
• the date on which the right-to-work check took place

It is up to you whether to apply for a share code (if eligible) or provide your immigration documents to prove your right to work. An employer can’t reject your job application based on which option you choose. 

• Work visa requirements to run a business from the UK

If you’re a non-British and non-Irish citizen, you can also apply for a share code to prove your right to rent in England. You don’t need to do this when renting in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.

In this post, we only cover share codes in relation to right-to-work checks. However, be aware that you can’t use the same code for both purposes. You need to generate a separate one to prove your right to rent.

Who can and cannot get a share code?

Share codes are only available to non-British and non-Irish citizens. You can use the UK Visas and Immigration online service to get a share code for yourself if you have:

• a biometric residence card or biometric residence permit, and 
• a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account

You will have a UKVI account if you have previously:

• applied to the EU Settlement Scheme
• verified your identity using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app when applying for a UK visa
• created an account when applying for a UK visa – you should have received a confirmation email
• created an account to get access to an eVisa (a digital record of your immigration status) – you should have received an email about this

If you can’t use this online service for any reason, you can prove your right to work with your original immigration documents instead. We discuss this in detail later in the post.

How to get a share code online and prove your right to work

To get a share code online and prove your right to work in the UK, you must have one of the following:

• A biometric residence permit (BRP) number – BRPs are physical identity cards that foreign nationals can use to confirm their identity, right to study, and right to public services or benefits. However, these cards are due to expire on 31 December 2024. They will be replaced by a new digital system known as eVisa
• An EEA biometric residence card (BRC) number — Also called a ‘UK residence card’. You can no longer apply for a BRC. However, individuals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK can continue to use their existing BRCs until they expire. They can be used to re-enter the UK from abroad and to apply for share codes
• A valid passport

Individuals are responsible for applying for their own share codes and providing them to prospective or current employers. Third-party companies and organisations, including employers and agencies, cannot apply for codes on behalf of individuals.

Below is a step-by-step outline of the process you need to follow to get a share code online and prove your right to work in the UK:

1. Go to GOV.UK

Visit https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work/get-a-share-code-online and click ‘Start now’ at the bottom of the page.

2. Choose your immigration status 

Select your immigration status from one of the following options presented on the screen:

• I have a UK Visas and Immigration account
• I have status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• I have a biometric residence card or permit

Click the ‘Continue’ button to proceed to the next page. 

3. Provide identity document details

If you state that you have a UKVI account or status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you will be asked which of the following identity documents you used when you created your account:

• Passport
• National identity card
• Biometric residence card or permit

You will then be prompted to provide your passport number, national identity card number, or BRC or BRP number.

However, if you state in Step 2 that you have a biometric residence card or permit, you will only be asked to enter your BRC or BRP number at that point. There is no option to provide a passport or national identity card number. 

Your BRC or BRP number is on the top right-hand side of your card – for example, ZU1234567. 

4. Enter your date of birth  

When prompted, enter your date of birth in the following format: DD/MM/YYYY.

5. Verify your identity

On the next page, select how you want to receive a security code to verify your identity. You can have it sent to you by text message or email. 

If you no longer have access to the phone number and email address registered to your UKVI account, you’ll need to contact UKVI to recover your account.

6. Enter the security code 

You should receive a 6-digit security code by text message or email. It may take a few minutes to arrive. Enter this in the ‘Security code’ box shown on the screen, then click ‘Continue’.

7. View your status and generate a share code 

The next screen will show your current right-to-work status alongside your name and photograph. However, you do not give this page to your employer. It is not proof of your right to work in the UK, because it only shows your status at that exact time.

Instead, scroll to the bottom of the page and click ‘Continue’. This will generate a unique share code for you to pass on to your employer.

8. View your share code and send it to your employer 

Your 9-character share code will be displayed on the screen. It will also show the date up to which it’s valid, which is 90 days from the date it is generated. 

You must give your share code and date of birth to your employer. You’ll have the option to send it to them immediately via the online service. Alternatively, you may provide the code to them directly – for example, by email, telephone, or video call.

Your employer must enter your share code and date of birth at www.gov.uk/view-right-to-work. This allows them to check your right-to-work details in real time, directly from the Home Office system.

How much does it cost to get a share code?

You don’t have to pay anything to get a share code. It is free of charge, regardless of how many times you need to apply for a new one. 

How long do share codes last? 

Each share code you generate is valid for 90 days only. You can provide the same code to as many employers as required during that time – for example, if you have more than one employer, or you’re applying for different jobs.

However, when it expires (or even beforehand), you can apply for a new share code if required. There is no limit to the number of times you can apply for a new code during your stay in the UK.

If you can’t access your UKVI account

You need to contact UK Visas and Immigration if you cannot access your UKVI account. Before doing so, ensure that you have:

• access to your current phone number and email address – UKVI will send security codes to verify them
• the identity document number associated with your UKVI account, or your unique application number (UAN)

You can only recover your account by calling UK Visas and Immigration on 0300 790 6268 (if you’re in the UK) or +44 20 3875 4669 (if you’re abroad). 

The opening times are Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) from 8:00am to 8:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to 4:30pm.

Prove your right to work with immigration documents 

Whilst obtaining a share code is the quickest and most straightforward way to prove your right to work in the UK, it’s not an option for everyone. If you cannot get a share code, you can provide immigration documents to employers instead.

If you’re not a British or Irish citizen, the following documents are usually acceptable:

• a current passport containing a Home Office ‘endorsement’
• an immigration status document
• an application registration card

Other immigration documents may be suitable or required if you:

• are waiting for a decision on an EU Settlement Scheme application
• were given settled or pre-settled status in Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man
• are a Ukrainian citizen
• are a frontier worker

We outline all of these options below. Check which one applies to you to determine the types of documents you can use. 

However, be aware that UKVI is in the process of replacing physical immigration documents, including passport endorsements, with the new eVisa system. Full guidance on eVisas and the rollout of this new digital system is available at GOV.UK.

1. If you have a passport with a Home Office endorsement 

You can prove your right to work to employers with your passport if it contains a Home Office ‘endorsement’ (e.g. a wet-ink stamp or a vignette sticker).

This endorsement should state that one of the following applies:

• you have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK
• there is no time limit to your stay in the UK
• you’re allowed to live and work in the UK
• you have a certificate of entitlement proving you have right of abode in the UK
• you are exempt from immigration control

Your endorsed passport must be valid. You can’t use it to prove your right to work if it has expired.

2. If you have an immigration status document

You will have an immigration status document issued by the Home Office if both of the following apply:

• you don’t have a UK Visas and Immigration account
• you were unable to get a Home Office endorsement in your passport when you were granted leave in the UK

3. If you have an application registration card

You should have an application registration card if you are waiting for a decision on an asylum application. It must say ‘Work permitted’, which confirms that you have permission to work in the UK.

Your employer will then ask the Home Office to check your immigration status through the Employer Checking Service.

4. If you’ve applied to the EU Settlement Scheme

While waiting for a decision on an EU Settlement Scheme application, you can prove your right to work with a share code or a ‘certificate of application’ issued by the Home Office.

You will need to show your certificate to your employer, who will then ask the Home Office to check your right to work.

5. If you have settled or pre-settled status in Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man

In these situations, you can provide your employer with the Home Office letter or email confirming that you have settled or pre-settled status. Your employer can use it to check your right-to-work status with the Home Office.

6. If you are a Ukrainian citizen

As a Ukrainian citizen in the UK, you can apply for a share code when you receive your biometric residence permit. However, if you don’t currently have one, you can use your passport if it contains an ‘endorsement’ stamp or vignette sticker.

If you do not have either of these, you can give your prospective or current employer an entry clearance vignette sticker attached to a ‘Form for Affixing a Visa’ (FAV). You should have received this when you provided your biometric information at a Visa Application Centre outside of the UK.

If you provide an endorsed passport or FAV, your employer will need to verify your right-to-work status with the Home Office.

7. If you are a Commonwealth citizen

Some Commonwealth citizens have right of abode in the UK, which means they’re permitted to live and work here without any immigration restrictions. In such instances, you can prove your right to work with a share code or immigration documents (e.g. a passport with an endorsement).

If you are settled in the UK but don’t have any documentation to prove it, you could be eligible to apply to the Windrush Scheme. You may be able to apply for a document to prove you can live and work in the UK, if one of the following applies:

• you came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
• your parents came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
• you came to the UK from any country before 31 December 1988 and you’re now settled here

8. If you are a frontier worker

A frontier worker is a citizen of an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, or Liechtenstein who works in the UK but resides abroad (with the exception of Ireland). You can prove your right to work with a share code if you have a Frontier Worker permit.

However, if you don’t have one, you will need to prove to your employer that you:

• are from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, or Liechtenstein
• live outside the UK
• began working in the UK (while living abroad) by 31 December 2020
• have worked in the UK at least once every 12 months since you began working here

You can prove this with the following types of documents:

• your passport or national identity card
• a bank statement or utility bill showing that your current home address is outside the UK
• bank statements or utility bills that show you were also living outside the UK when you worked here before
• a signed and dated job contract stating that you are required to work in the UK
• letters from employers stating how often you need to travel to the UK for work
• tax returns from HMRC showing that you are self-employed in the UK
• bank statements or invoices that show payments for the work you have done in the UK

You will need to provide as many of these documents as necessary to prove that you meet all of the eligibility rules. Your employer will use them to check your immigration status and right-to-work details with the Home Office.

If you cannot prove your right to work in the UK

If you are not a British or Irish citizen and can’t prove your right to work with a share code or immigration documents, your employer can use the Home Office Employer Checking Service instead. 

How to prove your right to work if you are a British or Irish citizen

You cannot get a share code if you are a British or Irish citizen. In these instances, you can prove your right to work in the UK with:

• a British passport (valid or expired), or 
• an Irish passport or passport card (valid or expired)

Alternatively, if you have a valid passport or passport card, your employer may be able to prove your right to work using an online identity service provider (IDSP) that offers Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT).

If you don’t have a passport or passport card, you can use one of the following documents instead:

• a UK birth or adoption certificate
• a birth or adoption certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or the Republic of Ireland
• a certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen

You must also give your employer an official letter or document (issued by a previous employer or a government agency) that shows your name and National Insurance number. For example, you could use a letter from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or the Social Security Agency in Northern Ireland.

Do I have the right to work in the UK?

An individual’s right to work in the UK depends on their immigration status (also known as their ‘leave’). You automatically have the right to work here if:

• you are a British or Irish citizen
• you have pre-settled or settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme – or you have applied and are waiting for a decision
• you’ve been granted indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK (also known as ‘settlement’)
• you have a family permit from the EU Settlement Scheme; or,
• you have right of abode in the UK

If any of these apply, you do not need a visa to live and work in the UK. However, you must still prove your right to work to your employer before starting a new job.

You may also have the right to work in the UK if you have a time-limited visa. This is known as having ‘limited leave to enter or remain’.

If you do not have the right to work here, you might be able to apply for it. However, if your leave has ended or you entered the UK illegally, you do not have the right to work in the UK.

Check if you are a British citizen

British citizens have the right to live and work in the UK without any immigration controls. You can also apply for a UK passport.

You might be a British citizen if you:

• have a British parent
• were born in the UK or a British overseas territory
• were born in a British colony before 1983

If you’re unsure, visit GOV.UK to check if you are a British citizen. Even if you don’t have citizenship automatically, you may still be eligible to apply to become a British citizen.

If you have limited leave to enter or remain

You will have limited leave to enter or remain in the UK if your visa has a time limit. With this type of leave, you have temporary permission to stay in the UK for the duration of your visa. There may also be restrictions on the jobs you can do, or the number of hours you can work.

If you have a Standard Visitor visa

You don’t have the right to work if you travel to the UK on a Standard Visitor visa, except for certain business activities and ‘permitted paid engagements’. You can check if you have the right to work at GOV.UK.

If you have a Student visa

When studying in the UK on a Student visa, you may be permitted to work a certain number of hours. However, you cannot be employed on a permanent contract – you are only allowed to work on a temporary basis.

To determine your right to work, check your immigration documents or speak to your education provider. Guidance on working in the UK on a Student visa is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCIS).

If you lose your employer-sponsored job

Losing a job as a sponsored employee means that you will also lose your work visa. This is the case whether your employment is terminated, your visa sponsor loses their licence, their licence is suspended, or they fail to renew it. However, you don’t have to leave the UK immediately – you usually have 60 days to make alternative arrangements.

• How to sponsor an employee from outside the UK

If you want to stay in the UK, you must secure a new sponsored job or change to a different type of leave. Contact UKVI, your local Citizens Advice, or an immigration advisor for help and guidance.

If you are an asylum seeker

Most asylum applicants are not permitted to work in the UK while the Home Office considers their application. Read GOV.UK’s guidance on working in the UK while an asylum case is considered. If you are not sure if you have the right to work, contact your nearest Citizens Advice for free and confidential advice.

Carrying out a right-to-work check on a job applicant or employee

As an employer, you have a legal duty to check that all job applicants have the right to work in the UK before employing them. You can do this in one of three ways:

1. Check the applicant’s right-to-work status online if they give you a share code
2. Carry out a manual check using the applicant’s original immigration documents
3. Use a certified digital identity service provider (IDSP) that offers Identity Document Validation Technology

Follow-up checks will be necessary if an employee’s right to work is time-limited. You will need to check their documents again when their visa is due to expire. However, you don’t need to carry out follow-up checks on existing employees from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland who came to the UK before 1 July 2021.

Detailed guidance on right-to-work checks is available in the following blog post: How to check a job applicant’s right to work in the UK. You should also refer to GOV.UK’s employer’s guide to right-to-work checks.

Penalties for hiring illegal workers

The law on preventing illegal working in the UK is set out in the following pieces of legislation:

• Sections 15 to 25 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006
• Section 24B of the Immigration Act 1971
• Schedule 6 of the Immigration Act 2016

Under section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, an employer may be subject to a civil penalty if they hire an illegal worker. The potential consequences are significant, highlighting the importance of these right-to-work checks.

If you employ an illegal worker and you know (or have ‘reasonable cause to believe’) that they don’t have the right to work in the UK, you could face an unlimited fine and a prison sentence of up to 5 years.

In situations where you employ an illegal worker and fail to carry out the correct checks (or don’t do them properly), you may have to pay a fine of up to £60,000 per illegal worker.

Thanks for reading 

Hopefully, you should now have a good understanding of how to prove your right to work in the UK with a share code or immigration documents. If you still need help, or if your situation is particularly complex, we would advise contacting UK Visas and Immigration, Citizens Advice, or an immigration specialist.