Share code
What a right to work share code is, and how an employer checks it
A right to work share code is a code a person generates so an employer can view their right to work details on GOV.UK. The employer checks it on the service Check a job applicant's right to work: use their share code at gov.uk/view-right-to-work, by entering the code and the person's date of birth. The check itself happens on GOV.UK. Vernx stores the record afterwards.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. The Home Office lists and the online service are the employer's. Vernx does not run the right to work check and does not create a statutory excuse.
What the code is
The Home Office employer's guide dated 1 October 2026 (page 24) says the person must choose one of three reasons for sharing their immigration status. For prospective or existing workers, they choose "Prove your right to work to an employer: get a share code". They can then generate a 9-character share code which begins with the letter W. The employer enters that code with the person's date of birth.
The same page says employers will not be able to accept or use share codes which begin with the letter R or S, because those are designed for other services. A share code is valid for 90 calendar days from the point of issue. It can be used as many times as needed within that time, but only for the purpose it was originally selected for. If it has expired, or it was generated for another service, the employer asks the person to send a new right to work share code.
The person can give the code to the employer directly, or send it through the online service. In that case the employer receives an email from right.to.work.service@notifications.service.gov.uk. The guide's example says: to check the individual's right to work details, access the service, enter the share code, enter the date of birth, and record the employer or business name in full.
Where someone has an eVisa, the guide (page 19) says they will only be able to evidence their right to work using the Home Office online service. Where a right to work check has been conducted using that online service, the guide (page 65) says there is no requirement for employers to check any of the documents in Annex A as well.
How the employer checks it on GOV.UK
Use gov.uk/view-right-to-work. The page is titled "Check a job applicant's right to work: use their share code". You need the person's date of birth and their right to work share code. The service shows the types of work they are allowed to do, and how long they can work in the UK if there is a time limit. You can also check someone's original documents instead, for example if you do not have a share code.
The employers' right to work checklist, updated 1 October 2026, sets the online check out in three steps:
- Access www.gov.uk/view-right-to-work and enter the share code and date of birth. Enter the employer or business name correctly and in full.
- Check that the photograph on the online check is of the person, in person or by video call. Only employ them if the check confirms they have the right to work and may do the work offered, including any conditions or restrictions.
- Keep a PDF or HTML copy of the profile page, including the photograph and the date of the check, for the employment and for 2 years afterwards, then securely destroy it.
The guide (page 24) says it is not sufficient simply to view the details on the migrant-facing service, or to rely on printed copies of that output. The employer uses the employer service.
British and Irish citizens
The GOV.UK page Check a job applicant's right to work: use their share code says British and Irish citizens cannot get a share code. You can check their physical documents yourself, or use an online identity service provider (the page's words) to check them. The worker page Get a share code online says a British or Commonwealth citizen can get a share code if they have a digital certificate of entitlement which proves their right of abode, and cannot if that certificate is a vignette sticker in a passport.
For a manual check of original documents, see which documents you can accept.
What Vernx stores after the GOV.UK check
The check itself happens on GOV.UK. Vernx then stores the record: the copy, who checked, the date, the route and the follow-up date. Vernx does not run the right to work check and does not create a statutory excuse.
Can you open one worker file tomorrow? The free file score asks four questions on the copy, who checked, the date and, for a sponsored worker, whether pay is still at or above the CoS figure. No upload.
Questions about share codes
What is a right to work share code?
A right to work share code lets an employer view a person's right to work details on GOV.UK. The Home Office employer's guide dated 1 October 2026 says the person chooses 'Prove your right to work to an employer: get a share code', then generates a 9-character code that begins with the letter W.
How does an employer check a share code?
The employer uses the GOV.UK service 'Check a job applicant's right to work: use their share code' at www.gov.uk/view-right-to-work. The employer's guide says the employer enters the share code and the person's date of birth, and records the employer or business name in full. The employers' right to work checklist, updated 1 October 2026, says the employer checks that the photograph is of that person and keeps a PDF or HTML copy of the profile page. The check itself happens on GOV.UK.
How long does a share code last, and which codes count?
The Home Office employer's guide dated 1 October 2026 says a share code is valid for 90 calendar days from the point of issue. It can be used as many times as needed in that time, but only for the purpose it was originally selected for. Employers cannot accept or use share codes which begin with the letter R or S, because those are for other services. If a code has expired, the employer asks for a new right to work share code.
Can a British or Irish citizen get a share code?
The GOV.UK page 'Check a job applicant's right to work: use their share code' says British and Irish citizens cannot get a share code. You check their original documents, or use an identity service provider. The worker page 'Get a share code online' adds that a British or Commonwealth citizen can get a share code if they have a digital certificate of entitlement which proves their right of abode, and cannot if that certificate is a vignette sticker in a passport.
What does Vernx store after a share code check?
Vernx stores the record after the check on GOV.UK: the copy, who checked, the date, the route and the follow-up date. Vernx does not run the right to work check and does not create a statutory excuse.
Sources
- Check a job applicant's right to work: use their share code (gov.uk/view-right-to-work), read 26 October 2026
- Employer's guide to right to work checks, last updated 1 October 2026 (share codes, page 24; eVisas, page 19; online check and no extra documents, pages 30 and 65)
- Employers' right to work checklist (accessible version), updated 1 October 2026
- Prove your right to work to an employer: get a share code online, read 26 October 2026
- Checking a job applicant's right to work, read 26 October 2026
Last checked against GOV.UK: 26 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Vernx records your check; it doesn't perform the Home Office right-to-work check or give legal advice.