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Work Eligibility Documents

All potential employees require a right to work check, regardless of their nationality. This must be conducted before employment commences.

As a new/prospective employee/worker you will fall into one of two categories:

  • List A - an automatic and ongoing right to work in the UK without restrictions
  • List B - you do not have an automatic right to work in the UK but have gained permission to do so subject to restrictions, i.e. for a time-limited period. This includes EU/EEA and Swiss nationals

For further clarity please refer to the Guide to Right to Work Checks published by the Home Office.

From 6th April 2022, Biometric Residence Permits can no longer be used to confirm right to work. Employers must carry out a check for those holding a BRC, BRP or FWP using the Home Office’s online right to work check service.

Where a right to work check has been conducted using the online right to work checking service, the information is provided in real-time directly from Home Office systems and there is no requirement to check any of the documents listed below.

List A – acceptable documents to establish a continuous statutory excuse

You have an ongoing right to work in the UK and are therefore not subject to immigration control. This includes all UK and Irish nationals, and any nationals holding Indefinite Leave to Remain (also known as settlement) or any individual holding Right of Abode in the UK. If you are in this category the University needs to check your documents once only, before you commence employment.

Documents that provide evidence for this category:

1. A passport (current or expired) showing the holder is a British citizen or a citizen of the UK and Colonies having the right of abode in the UK. 

2. A passport or passport card (in either case, whether current or expired) showing that the holder is an Irish citizen.

3. A document issued by the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey or the Isle of Man, which has been verified as valid by the Home Office Employer Checking Service, showing that the holder has been granted unlimited leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU(J) to the Jersey Immigration Rules, Appendix EU to the Immigration (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Rules 2008 or Appendix EU to the Isle of Man Immigration Rules.

4. A current passport endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control, is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK, has the right of abode in the UK, or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.

5. A current Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the named person is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK, or has no time limit on their stay in the UK, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer.

6. A birth or adoption certificate issued in the UK, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer1.

7. A birth or adoption certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer.

8. A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer.

Swiss and Selected EEA Nationals (20 countries)

If you are a citizen of Switzerland or one of the following European Economic Area (EEA) countries, you no longer have an automatic right to work in the UK:

  • Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

List B Group 1 – documents where a time-limited statutory excuse lasts until the expiry date of permission to enter or permission to stay

1. A current passport endorsed to show that the holder is allowed to stay in the UK and is currently allowed to do the type of work in question. 

2. A document issued by the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey or the Isle of Man, which has been verified as valid by the Home Office Employer Checking Service, showing that the holder has been granted limited leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU(J) to the Jersey Immigration Rules, Appendix EU to the Immigration Bailiwick of Guernsey) Rules 2008 or Appendix EU to the Isle of Man Immigration Rules.

3. A current Immigration Status Document containing a photograph issued by the Home Office to the holder with a valid endorsement indicating that the named person may stay in the UK, and is allowed to do the type of work in question, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer.

List B Group 2 – documents where a time-limited statutory excuse lasts for six months

1. A document issued by the Home Office showing that the holder has made an application for leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU to the immigration rules (known as the EU Settlement Scheme) on or before 30 June 2021 together with a Positive Verification Notice from the Home Office Employer Checking Service.


2. A Certificate of Application (digital or non-digital) issued by the Home Office showing that the holder has made an application for leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU to the immigration rules (known as the EU Settlement Scheme), on or after 1 July 2021, together with a Positive Verification Notice from the Home Office Employer Checking Service.

3. A document issued by the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey or the Isle of Man showing that the holder has made an application for leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU(J) to the Jersey Immigration Rules or Appendix EU to the Immigration Rules (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Rules 2008, or Appendix EU to the Isle of Man Immigration Rules together with a Positive Verification Notice from the Home Office Employer Checking Service.

4. An Application Registration Card issued by the Home Office stating that the holder is permitted to take the employment in question, together with a Positive Verification Notice from the Home Office Employer Checking Service.

5. A Positive Verification Notice issued by the Home Office Employer Checking Service to the employer or prospective employer, which indicates that the named person may stay in the UK and is permitted to do the work in question.

Students

Students may also take limited employment, up to 20 hours per week during term time and full time during vacations, without a work permit or other permission. Students' dependants may also take paid employment (full time) without a work permit or other permission, but only for the duration of the student's leave to remain.

Visa holding students must also complete the appropriate right to work check. From 6th April 2022, students must also be able to prove their right to work by obtaining a sharecode from the following Home Office page 

 

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