Proving your right to work with a share code

Before you start any job in the UK, your employer has to confirm you are allowed to work. If you are not a British or Irish citizen, that check is now almost always done online using a share code - a temporary reference number you generate yourself and hand to the employer. Understanding it takes ten minutes and prevents a lot of stress on your first day.

What a share code is

A share code is a code you generate on GOV.UK that lets a named employer view your immigration status and work conditions online. You do not hand over your passport or BRP. Generate yours at gov.uk – prove your right to work to an employer.

Note that British and Irish citizens cannot get a share code. If that is you, the employer checks your passport (or other accepted documents) directly, or uses a certified identity service provider.

What you need to generate one

You will normally need your identity document details and access to your UKVI account:

• Your biometric residence permit or card number, or your passport details, depending on how your status is held.
• Your date of birth.
• Access to the email address or phone number linked to your UKVI account, since a security code is usually sent there.

If you hold an eVisa rather than a physical card, your status lives in your UKVI account - our guide to the eVisa and UKVI account covers getting set up and keeping your details current.

What your employer does with it

The employer enters your share code and your date of birth on the GOV.UK employer service. They see a page confirming whether you can work, and any conditions - for example a cap on weekly hours during term time for students, or that your permission is tied to a specific sponsor. They keep a copy of that page for their records. They should not need to keep your passport.

Practical points that catch people out

• Share codes expire. Generate one close to when the employer will actually use it, rather than months in advance, and be ready to issue a fresh one if recruitment drags on.
• Generate the right type. The service offers codes for different purposes - right to work, right to rent, and others. A right-to-rent code will not satisfy an employer.
• Check the conditions shown are correct. If the page shows the wrong visa type, wrong expiry, or wrong work conditions, do not just let it pass - contact UKVI to get the record corrected.
• Student hour limits are strict. Working beyond your permitted hours is a breach of your visa conditions with serious consequences for future applications, and employers are checking.
• Keep your own record. Save a screenshot or PDF of what the service showed on the date of the check.

If a check fails or the employer is unsure

A failed check is often a data problem rather than a status problem - a mistyped date of birth, an out-of-date passport number on your UKVI account, or a code generated for the wrong purpose. Re-check those first. If your status genuinely appears wrong, raise it with UKVI before the start date rather than after, and keep everything in writing.

Employers sometimes ask for documents they are not entitled to insist on, or refuse an online check they are required to accept. If you believe you are being treated unfairly because of your nationality or immigration status, Acas gives free, impartial advice on UK employment rights.