On 6th April 2022, the Home Office introduced a new system mandating employers to conduct Right to Work (RTW) checks on their migrant workforce online. This system replaces the temporary COVID Concession, which will run until September 30th 2022. The Home Office has also launched a new system for conducting RTW checks on British and Irish Citizens. These changes do not apply retrospectively.
What’s changed?
From 6th April, legislation dictates that employers must use the Home Office’s free online RTW check service to undertake RTW checks for those individuals who hold either a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), a Biometric Residence Card (BRC) or a Frontier Work Permit (FWP). From this date, simply physically checking a BRC, BRP or FWP will not be enough to meet legislative requirements. In order to complete the check, employers will need the individual’s date of birth and a RTW Share Code (valid for 30 days), which the individual must generate using the government’s Prove Your Right to Work portal.
RTW Checks for British and Irish citizens
Alongside the changes to RTW checks for migrant workers, a new non-mandatory online system for carrying out RTW checks for British and Irish citizens was also introduced on 6th April. Rather than using a share code, British and Irish citizens who hold a valid passport (including an Irish passport card) will be able to upload digital images of their passports to a certified Identity Service Provider (IDSP) to verify their identity remotely and prove their eligibility to work.
When taking advantage of this new system, employers must ensure that their IDSP is certified to Home Office standards, that staff utilising the system are fully trained to do so and that they adhere to all existing RTW identity verification criteria and legislation. The Home Office is currently in the process of issuing accreditation to IDSPs so that employers can benefit from this system at the earliest opportunity.
How Secure Screening Services can help
At Secure Screening Services we aim to take the burden of Right to Work screening from employers to ensure a streamlined onboarding process for you and your candidates. Our knowledgeable and experienced team has been trained to a high standard and will be working with a fully accredited IDSP, which integrates seamlessly within our existing GDPR-compliant screening portal.
By entrusting us with your RTW checks you can be sure that you are employing people who are legally entitled to work in the UK, and that you can evidence that you have met your regulatory obligations in this regard using the most up-to-date technology available.
We are experts in our field and keep abreast of the ever-changing legislation, liaising directly with the Home Office when required, so if you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Martin and the team will be more than happy to help!
