From the beginning of next month, it will no longer be possible for the sector to rely on the virtual checks introduced by the Home Office under its ‘Covid-19 adjusted right to work checks’ concession, and instead employers will need to adopt new digital right to work checks for British and Irish nationals or revert to cumbersome manual in-person checks.
“Employers have a short window of time to adopt this new regime, and those that get it wrong can be fined for each illegal worker and lose their ability to sponsor overseas workers,” says Gavin Webster, a senior manager at global mobility and immigration advisers Vialto Partners.
Right to work checks are a requirement for all UK employers who must ensure individuals they wish to employ have a legal right to work.
Employers face a fine of up to £20,000 for each employee if they are found to be working in the UK illegally. Right to work checks are required for all British and Irish nationals as well as EEA and Non-EEA nationals.
The Home Office wishes businesses to conduct right to work checks for British and Irish nationals via an authorised Identification Service Provider with accredited Identification Documentation Verification Technology, although it will not be essential.
Webster adds that digital right to work checks will speed up checks and be less cumbersome for employers and less disruptive for employees, particularly for businesses with large and multi-sited workforces.
To find out more about what the new right to work legislation means for your business, click here.