The UK Government is continuing its transition from physical immigration documents to digital eVisas, a shift that will significantly impact how your business conducts Right to Work checks. As this change progresses towards full implementation in 2025, employers must understand eVisas and how they will affect business operations.
The UK Government released an information notice updating UK employers on this change. To help you, our Right to Work experts have dissected the update for you in our latest blog post.
What Are eVisas?
eVisas are digital records of an individual’s immigration status, accessible via a secure online UK Government Visas & Immigration (UKVI) account. These accounts will replace traditional documents such as Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs), and passport ink stamps.
The two key changes currently being rolled out are:
- Phasing Out Physical Documents: By 2025, key physical immigration documents will be replaced with eVisas.
- Digital Access: Candidates will manage and share their immigration status digitally through their UKVI account and unique Share Code.
Impact on Right to Work Checks
The introduction of eVisas aims to simplify the Right to Work verification process, reduce administrative burdens, and increase the accuracy and security risk that are associated with physical documents.
For UK employers, including HR, Recruitment, Talent, and Compliance teams, this means:
- Streamlined Checks: Candidates will provide a unique Share Code, which employers can use to verify the candidates eligibility for employment. This code will show:
- Personal Details: Full name, date of birth, and any associated photograph.
- Right to Work Status: Confirmation of the legal Right to Work in the UK, including any restrictions.
- Immigration Status: Type of visa or immigration status, along with its validity period.
- Work Conditions: Any conditions, such as limits on work hours or types of permitted employment
- BRPs/BRCs Expiry: BRPs and BRCs will expire on December 31, 2024, but this does not affect the holder’s immigration status. Employers do not need to recheck an employee’s Right to Work solely due to these documents being removed, unless the employee’s stay in the UK is also expiring.
- Maintaining Compliance: If the initial Right to Work check was completed according to Home Office legislation at the time, employers are protected from penalties. A follow-up check is only required if the employee’s Right to Stay is expiring.
Communicating The Changes to Employees
Employers must effectively communicate these changes to employees, especially those relying on physical documents. You should inform all holders of physical visa documents that at this point in the year (August 2024) they would have received an email from the Home Office inviting them to create a UKVI account.
How Rightcheck Can Support Your Business with eVisas
The shift to eVisas represents a significant move towards a fully digital immigration system, offering enhanced efficiency, security, and convenience for UK businesses. To ensure your business is ready, it’s crucial to adapt your Right to Work processes to align with the increase in digital eVisa’s (Share Codes) that you will receive.
Rightcheck is an award-winning all-in-one Government certified IDSP, with a solution that is out-of-the-box ready for these changes, with full support for all Home Office approved Right to Work documents, and with the built-in ability to validate a candidates Share Code within the Rightcheck App.
For questions regarding this eVisa update, you can speak to one of our Right To Work specialists by clicking here. Want to see our system in action? Book a personalised demo now, and let us show you how we can transform your HR and recruitment process.