{"id":72093,"date":"2022-04-25T17:35:04","date_gmt":"2022-04-25T15:35:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/?p=72093"},"modified":"2025-10-09T12:10:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T10:10:31","slug":"share-code-hr-team-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/share-code-hr-team-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Right to Work Share Code UK: A Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

The right to work share code was introduced in July 2019, as part of a post-Brexit immigration reform. They are now an integral part of the UK immigration system used to verify an employee’s right to work. <\/strong>Employers are legally obliged to conduct right-to-work checks when hiring. This requirement forces employers to\u00a0confirm an existing employee’s immigration status or check an applicant’s right to work share code. This is definitely something you don’t<\/em> want to mess up, as you potentially risk incurring hefty fees.<\/p>\n

In this article, we will answer the key question: what is a share code?<\/strong> We will explain how to get one in the UK and when it should be used. The more informed you are about employers’ responsibilities surrounding share codes in the UK, the more prepared you will be when it comes to gathering documents and executing recruitment.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udca1Stay organized when growing your team by downloading our hiring process checklist<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is a Share Code UK?<\/h2>\n

A share code is an online nine-digit alpha-numerical code<\/strong> provided by the UK government. Non-UK nationals use it to verify their right to work<\/strong>. Each code is unique and can be shown to employers to demonstrate an individual’s immigration status and employment details.<\/p>\n

A share code provides details about the employee’s legal right to work<\/strong>, including the type of work allowed<\/strong> and the permitted duration of employment<\/strong>. UK share codes were introduced as part of the government’s immigration system to assist employers in the hiring process post-Brexit.<\/p>\n

Since this right-to-work law has been put into place, employers can no longer accept EU, EEA or Swiss passports or ID cards in order to prove applicants’ immigration status.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Going forward, UK employers will have to complete a right-to-work check for their employees from European countries. Therefore, it’s crucial that HR teams and managers are well-informed about this process and how to verify rights to work in the UK.<\/p>\n

These codes serve a different purpose than UK visas. A visa is a residence permit granting citizens the right to enter, stay short-term or live permanently in the country.<\/p>\n

How is a Right to Work Share Code Used?<\/h2>\n

The government share code aims to speed up the validation of overseas employees’ employment rights. Specifically, it’s a way to confirm someone’s \u2018right to work’ to UK employers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Using the code and date of birth of the applicant, you will be able to check:<\/p>\n