Right to Work Checker
Answer a few non-sensitive questions to identify the Right to Work checking route that may apply, what records you may need to keep, and whether follow-up action may be required.
This is a guidance and readiness tool. It does not determine a person’s immigration status or confirm their Right to Work. Where an official check is required, we’ll direct you to the appropriate GOV.UK service.
Check which Right to Work process may apply
We’ll ask up to eight simple questions. You won’t be asked for a passport number, share code, date of birth or document upload.
This tool asks only non-sensitive questions. Do not enter names, dates of birth, passport numbers, share codes or any document details. It gives guidance on the likely checking route only — the official check is always completed on the official GOV.UK service.
What this tool does — and does not — do
UK employers have a legal duty to carry out a prescribed right to work check before employment begins, and to retain the evidence. Which check is the correct one depends on the person’s circumstances — whether their status can be evidenced online, whether they are a British or Irish passport holder who can use a certified digital identity provider, whether an in-person manual document check applies, or whether the Employer Checking Service is needed.
This checker helps you work out the likely route and the actions that usually follow, so you arrive at the official process prepared. It does not perform the check, validate a share code, verify identity, or confirm that a person has the right to work — and it never tells you a person has “passed” or is “legal to work”. The statutory excuse comes from carrying out the prescribed check correctly and keeping the evidence, not from any software.
From 1 October 2026 the check duty is expected to widen to individual subcontractors and certain worker and gig arrangements. Until that change commences and its final guidance is confirmed, this tool applies the current rules and flags post-1-October engagements for you to confirm against the official guidance rather than presenting the expansion as settled law.
Manage your workforce compliance with Complys
Keep worker records, documents, qualifications and expiry dates organised in one place, with reminders for important follow-up actions. Complys does not perform the official check or grant a statutory excuse.