A UK share code is a 9-character code that proves your immigration status to an employer, letting agent, or other checker. Instead of handing over physical documents, you generate the share code online through your UKVI account and give it to the employer along with your date of birth. The employer then enters both into a Home Office service and sees a live summary of your right to work share code result.
Notably, this is now the standard route for most non-British and non-Irish workers in the UK. Since the Home Office moved to eVisas as the primary record of immigration status, the share code has replaced physical documents for the majority of overseas nationals.
This guide explains what a share code is, who needs one, how to get a share code step by step, what your employer actually sees in the share code check, and what to do when the process does not go smoothly. However, if you are an employer looking for the broader right to work check process (including manual document checks and List A/B documents), see the right to work check guide for employers.
A share code is a temporary 9-character code that begins with the letter W for right to work checks. It is generated through your UKVI account and shared with an employer, who then verifies it through the Home Office online service.
Notably, the code itself does not contain your immigration information. Instead, it acts as a temporary key that lets the checker access a real-time summary of your status directly from the Home Office.
Share code versus right to rent share code
The share code you generate for employment is different from the one used for right to rent checks. Employment codes start with W. However, right to rent codes start with R. If you generate the wrong type of code, the share code check will fail. Consequently, always select the option to prove your right to work — not right to rent — when generating a share code for a job.
British and Irish citizens do not use share codes. They prove their right to work through a passport, passport card, birth certificate, or other documents from the Home Office’s List A. However, if you hold a UK or Irish passport, you do not need a share code.
A share code is for everyone else. Additionally, you will need one if you have:
- Settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- A Skilled Worker visa or another work visa issued as an eVisa
- A Student visa with permission to work
- A Family visa with permission to work
- A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) — however, the physical card is no longer acceptable on its own, so a share code is now required even if you hold a BRP
- Any other immigration status held digitally through your UKVI account
However, if you are unsure whether you need a share code, the simplest test is this: do you have a UKVI account linked to an eVisa? If yes, a share code is almost certainly the right route. Conversely, if you have a paper-based immigration status or an outstanding application that the online system does not yet reflect, a different process may apply — see the pending application section below.
The share code is generated through the GOV.UK Prove your right to work service. Notably, the process takes a few minutes once you are signed in to your UKVI account.
- Go to Prove right to work – GOV.UK and select the option to get a share code online.
- Sign in to your UKVI account using the email address and phone number linked to it. You will receive a security code by text message to complete the sign-in.
- Once signed in, select the option to prove your right to work to an employer.
- The service generates a 9-character share code beginning with the letter W. However, only codes starting with W are valid for right to work checks.
- Give the share code to your employer along with your date of birth. Both are required for the share code check.
- The code is valid for 30 days. However, if your employer does not use it within that window, generate a new one — there is no limit on how many codes you can create.
Notably, you do not pay anything to get a share code. The service is free. Additionally, any third-party site charging a fee for this service is not official.
Get a share code without a UKVI account
However, if you do not yet have a UKVI account, you will need to set one up first. This can take longer than generating the code itself — allow a few days to complete identity verification. Additionally, see the section below on setting up a UKVI account for the first time.
This is the question most people want answered but rarely find clearly explained. When your employer performs the share code check by entering your share code and date of birth into the GOV.UK checking service at View right to work – GOV.UK, they see:
- Confirmation of whether you have the right to work in the UK
- The type of work you are permitted to do — for example, student visas often restrict working hours to 20 hours per week during term time, and this restriction will appear
- The expiry date of your permission to work, if it is time-limited
- Your name and photograph
Notably, your employer does not see your full immigration history, your home address, your salary history, your previous visa applications, or any other personal information beyond what is directly relevant to your current right to work share code result.
What employers do with the share code check result
The employer is required to save a record of the share code check result page and the date the check was carried out. Additionally, they retain this record for as long as you work for them, and for two years after your employment ends. However, sharing or storing the share code itself beyond the check is not something they have a right to — once the share code check is done, the code has served its purpose.
Share code check employer verification process
Employers verify your share code by entering it, plus your date of birth, into the GOV.UK checking service. The service returns a real-time confirmation with a downloadable result page. Notably, there is no waiting period — the share code check employer verification is instantaneous.
The process to get a share code is the same regardless of your visa type, but a few situations are worth understanding in more detail.
Share code for EU Settlement Scheme: settled and pre-settled status
Both settled and pre-settled status holders use share codes. Notably, there is no physical document that proves EUSS status — the online share code check is the only valid method.
However, if you have settled status, the share code check will confirm an unrestricted right to work with no expiry date. Consequently, your employer does not need to carry out a follow-up check.
Conversely, if you have pre-settled status, the check will show an expiry date. Following a Home Office guidance update in July 2024, employers no longer need to carry out repeat or follow-up checks on pre-settled status holders — a single share code check at the start of employment is sufficient. Additionally, this means you do not need to provide a new share code each time your pre-settled status is renewed, provided the initial check was done correctly.
Right to work share code for eVisa holders: Skilled Worker, Student, Family and other routes
Since the BRP was phased out, most visa holders access their status exclusively through their UKVI account. Notably, the share code is generated from the same account you use to view your eVisa.
However, if you are on a Student visa, the right to work share code result will show your hours restriction. This is usually 20 hours per week during term time, with full-time work permitted during official vacation periods. Consequently, make sure your employer is aware of this before they complete the share code check — they need to confirm the role on offer is permitted under your conditions.
Additionally, if you are on a Skilled Worker visa sponsored by your current employer, and you are also taking on secondary employment, specific rules apply. You can work up to 20 additional hours per week for another employer in an eligible role, but your primary sponsored employment must continue. However, this does not affect how you get a share code, but it affects what the employer can offer.
Share code for workers with a BRP card
Notably, physical BRP cards are no longer acceptable as standalone proof of right to work, even if they have not yet expired. Consequently, if you have a BRP, you must use the online share code route. Additionally, your BRP number is one of the details you can use to link your UKVI account if you have not already done so.
Share code for immigration status verification
Share codes are used beyond employment. Additionally, you can generate a share code to prove your immigration status for other purposes — such as opening a bank account, applying for public services, or right to rent checks. However, different types of code cover different purposes, so make sure you generate the correct one for the check being carried out.
What to do if your visa application is pending
If your previous permission has expired but you applied to extend or switch your visa before it expired, you may still have the right to work while your application is being decided. Notably, this is sometimes called section 3C leave — your right to remain and to work continues automatically while the application is pending.
However, this can be a confusing situation because you may not be able to get a share code through the normal route. Consequently, your immigration status may not yet be updated in the online system, so the eVisa service may not reflect your current position accurately.
In this case, your employer should use the Employer Checking Service (ECS) rather than the share code route. Additionally, they will need your Home Office reference number or case ID, which you can find in the correspondence about your application. Notably, the ECS will issue a Positive Verification Notice to your employer if your right to work is confirmed, giving them a six-month statutory excuse.
However, you do not contact the ECS yourself — it is an employer-facing service. Additionally, you can help the process by providing your reference number promptly and being transparent with your employer about your situation. Consequently, employers are not permitted to refuse employment solely because a share code cannot be generated, if you can explain that an in-time application has been made.
Each share code is valid for 30 days from the date it is generated. However, if the code expires before your employer uses it, simply log back in to your UKVI account and generate a new one. Notably, there is no penalty for generating multiple codes, and no limit on how many you can create.
Code expiry versus permission expiry
It is worth being clear about the difference between code expiry and permission expiry. Your share code expiring after 30 days does not mean your right to work has expired — it just means the specific code you generated is no longer usable. Additionally, your underlying immigration permission remains in force until its own expiry date, which is separate.
However, if your immigration permission itself is approaching expiry, you will need to apply to extend it or switch to a new route before it expires. Consequently, once permission expires, you will no longer be able to get a valid share code, and your employer will see no right to work if they attempt a share code check.
Several things can go wrong between generating a code and your employer successfully completing the share code check.
The code is not recognised by the employer
Check that it was copied correctly — the code is case-sensitive and must start with W. Additionally, check whether it has been more than 30 days since you generated it. However, if either of these is the issue, log in and generate a new share code.
You cannot log in to your UKVI account
Notably, this is the most disruptive problem. However, if you have forgotten your login details or no longer have access to the phone number linked to the account, use the account recovery service at Recover your UKVI account – Home Office.
Additionally, if you created your account using a BRP that has since expired, you may need to re-link your account using your passport or another accepted identity document.
Your status is not showing correctly
However, if the share code check returns a result that does not accurately reflect your permission — for example, it shows no right to work when you believe you have it, or shows an incorrect expiry date — this indicates a problem with the underlying UKVI record. Consequently, contact UKVI directly using the webchat service on GOV.UK, or submit a correction through the eVisa correction form if your visa details are wrong.
Your employer says the check shows no right to work
However, do not simply accept this result if you are confident your status is correct. Additionally, you have the right to ask your employer to use the Employer Checking Service if you have an outstanding application. You can also ask UKVI to investigate why your record is showing incorrectly. Consequently, keep copies of any correspondence about your application as evidence.
Setting up a UKVI account for the first time
If you have never set up a UKVI account, or if you are not sure whether you already have one, start at eVisas: access and use your online immigration status – GOV.UK.
Notably, many people already have a UKVI account from an earlier visa application — if you applied online for your current visa, you will have created one as part of that process. Consequently, try signing in before creating a new account. However, creating a duplicate account can cause confusion and may make it harder to link your eVisa correctly.
What you need to set up a UKVI account
To create a new account you will need:
- A phone number and email address you can reliably access
- One of the following: a valid passport with your visa application number, a BRP number, or another document linked to your immigration record
- The UKVI identity app on a smartphone — usually needed to confirm your identity
Additionally, setting up a UKVI account is free. Notably, do not use any third-party service that charges a fee for this.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a UK share code?
Sign in to your UKVI account at gov.uk/prove-right-to-work and select the option to prove your right to work to an employer. The service generates a 9-character code starting with W. Additionally, give this to your employer along with your date of birth.
What is a share code UK?
A UK share code is a 9-character code that proves your immigration status to an employer, letting agent, or other checker without needing physical documents. Notably, employers verify it through a free Home Office online service — this is the share code check.
How long does a share code last?
30 days from the date you generate it. However, if your employer does not use it within that window, log back in to your UKVI account and generate a new one. Notably, there is no limit on how many you can create.
Can I use the same share code more than once?
No. Notably, each share code is single-use. Once your employer has used it to check your status, it cannot be used again by another employer. Consequently, if you change jobs, you will need to get a share code again for your new employer.
Do British citizens need a share code?
No. British and Irish citizens prove their right to work through a passport, passport card, or other documents from the Home Office’s acceptable documents list. Notably, they cannot generate a share code and do not need to.
My employer is asking for a share code but I only have a passport. What should I tell them?
If you are a British or Irish citizen, tell your employer you do not need a share code — they should check your passport or passport card instead. However, if you are from another country and hold a passport with a visa vignette, you may be able to show that along with other documents for a manual check. Notably, if you hold an eVisa, a share code is the correct route even if you also have a physical passport.
What if my share code shows restricted hours — can my employer still hire me?
It depends on the role. However, if your visa permits 20 hours per week during term time, and the employer is offering full-time work during term time, they cannot lawfully take you on for that role without a visa change. Conversely, if the role fits within your permitted hours, the restriction does not prevent employment. Notably, your employer must offer you a role that falls within the conditions shown on the share code check result.
Can my employer keep a copy of my share code?
They can keep a record that a share code check was carried out, and they are required to save the result page from the GOV.UK checking service. However, sharing or storing the share code itself beyond its legitimate use in the check is not something they have a right to. Consequently, once the check is done, the code has served its purpose.
Does generating a share code affect my visa or immigration status?
No. Notably, generating a share code is a read-only process — it lets an employer see your status but does not change it, record it against you, or trigger any Home Office review of your case. Consequently, you can generate codes as often as you need to.
What if I have indefinite leave to remain — do I need a share code?
If your indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is held digitally through your UKVI account, get a share code in the usual way. The result will confirm unrestricted right to work with no expiry date. However, if you have older paper-based evidence of ILR, a manual document check may be used instead — check with your employer which method they prefer.
What does a share code check show my employer?
Your right to work status, any restrictions on work type or hours, the expiry date if time-limited, plus your name and photograph. Notably, nothing else about your immigration history or personal circumstances is shared through the share code check.
Is a share code the same as an eVisa?
No. Notably, an eVisa is your digital immigration status held in your UKVI account. A share code is a temporary key you generate from that account to let someone else view a summary of your status. Consequently, the eVisa is permanent; the share code is single-use and 30-day expiring.