A Guide to UK Right to Work Share Codes
The UK Right to Work Share Code API provides and automated way for employers to validate a job applicant's right to work in the UK. This article provides a broader view of what the share code system is in the UK, when it was introduced, how it works, and why it's important.
What is a UK Right to Work Share Code?
Introduced in July 2019, a share code is a unique code generated by the government and given to non-British or Irish citizens living in the UK. This share code confirms that a user has the right to work in the UK, as well as providing a list of restrictions and conditions pertaining to their right to work status. A share code is typically valid for 90 days from the date of issue, and provides the following applicant details:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Profile Image
- Job Restrictions (such as maximum weekly working hours allowance, sponsorship requirements, industry restrictions etc.)
- Right to Work Expiry Date
How are Right to Work Share Codes Obtained?
Share codes are obtained via the Gov.UK website. Typically, applicants born outside the UK and Ireland will either have a biometric residence card, or a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. Both of these routes will require an applicant to have their documents reviewed and approved by the government. The share codes act as a temporary medium for applicants to share their right to work status without having to share their immigration documents again. The government takes the responsibility away from both the applicant and the employer, meaning less risk, work and confusion for all parties involved.
Why are Right to Work Share Codes Useful?
As mentioned above, right to work share codes take the responsibility away from employers and applicants, and provide an official single source of truth that ensures full transparency during the employment process. Using Share codes as a business means less time manually importing over details and risking human error.
Validating Share Codes
In order to check share codes manually, an employer must visit gov.uk and manually enter the applicant's details, including:
- Date of Birth
- Share Code
- Business Name
This process usually takes about 5 minutes to complete. However, if employers want to keep track of this data after the share code has expired (right to work expiry date, for example), then they must take this information down manually and store it somewhere safe. This can be a little bit cumbersome, especially if it requires adding the information to a HR system of some sort.
How the UK Right to Work Share Code API helps
The UK Right to Work Share Code API adds another layer of automation and simplicity to the process, allowing applicants, or admininistration staff to simply fill out a form that sends a request to the API and returns all the details that are in the government check. The API also allows employers to specify whether they want to accept or reject applicants who are students, or require sponsorship to work in the UK. This is a great way to filter applications at an early stage, and save time for both applicants and the employer. It's also a fantastic way to automatically import details into existing databases or HR systems automatically.
We've written some other posts that aim to assist with API integration and implementing a user facing form. Please feel free to check those out and try the API for free.
