Last year, in 2025, the UK Home Office changed how employers verify the immigration status of prospective employees. The longstanding physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and other paper documents are now being phased out in favour of a fully digital immigration status system using the eVisas.

This shift, in turn, is reshaping how businesses comply with their legal duty to conduct right-to-work checks before employment begins.

What must employers do?

Whether hiring a UK citizen, an international recruit, or anyone who needs permission to work in the UK, employers are required by law to verify that the person is legally allowed to undertake the job being offered.

This is part of the UK’s immigration control regime designed to prevent illegal working and associated exploitation. Employers who conduct the checks correctly establish a statutory excuse, protecting them against civil penalties if an employee is later found to be disqualified due to immigration status.

Traditionally, many employers relied on physical immigration documents like BRPs, passports, or biometric cards. However, the Home Office guidance updated in June 2025 clarifies that this model has changed.

From 2025 onwards, those granted immigration permission are issued an eVisa instead of physical immigration documents. To verify eligibility to work, employers must use the online Home Office portal to check a potential employee’s eligibility to work in the UK.

What are eVisas?

An eVisa is the Home Office’s digital record of a person’s immigration status. It replaces the existing BRPs and is accessed online through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. When someone has permission to work, they can generate a share code from their account and provide it to their employer. Employers then use this share code with the Home Office online checking service to confirm the individual’s right to work status.

This online check confirms not only whether the job applicant has permission to work, but also any restrictions or expiry dates attached to that permission. Employers must retain evidence of the online check, typically by saving or printing the profile page that displays the worker’s photo and the check date. This evidence must be kept for the duration of employment and for two years afterwards.

Why is this a big change?

1. Digital-first approach: Instead of employers examining physical documents, the right to work determination is increasingly conducted online. This aligns with the Home Office’s broader strategy to make immigration services more digital, streamlined, safer, and more convenient.

2. End of physical BRPs: Biometric Residence Permits ceased to be issued by the Home Office from 31 October 2024. Individuals whose BRPs expired at the end of December 2024 are strongly encouraged to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. Employers are no longer able to accept expired BRPs as evidence of the right to work.

3. Temporary travel documentation continues: For those overseas, short-term entry clearance vignettes in passports (valid for 90 days) may still be issued to facilitate travel to the UK. These vignettes can be used initially to prove that the employee has not yet set up their online eVisa account, but only as a temporary measure. Once the migrant has accessed their eVisa, employers should use the share code to process RTW checks.

Impact on onboarding and compliance

The migration to eVisas requires employers to adjust their onboarding processes in several practical ways:

• Training recruiters and HR teams on how to use the Home Office online checking service is now essential. Applicants must provide a share code, and HR must know how to input it correctly and save the results.
• Retention and record-keeping procedures must be digital or robust enough to securely retain online check evidence for the statutory period. This often means storing PDFs or screenshots of the online profile page.
• Employers must conduct right-to-work checks before employment commences. If an applicant does not yet have a UKVI account or a share code at the start date, they must plan follow-up checks once they have accessed their eVisa.
• Manual checks still have a place. In limited circumstances, such as where an individual cannot access their eVisa due to a technical issue, a manual check or a referral to the Employer Checking Service may be needed to obtain a Positive Verification Notice.

Conclusion

The shift to eVisas represents both a challenge and an opportunity for employers. On the one hand, digital checks can streamline onboarding and reduce reliance on paper documents, which are prone to forgery.

On the other hand, employers and employees alike must adapt to the nuances of online systems, ensuring that RTW checks are conducted correctly and that evidence is securely retained.

If you are facing any challenges obtaining an eVisa or checking a potential employee’s eVisa, reach out to A2Z Immigration today for a free consultation.