A share code is a 9-character code generated by a worker through their UKVI online account — used to prove their immigration status to an employer digitally. A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is a physical identity card issued by the Home Office. Since April 2022, UK employers must use the share code online service to check right to work for BRP holders — the card itself is no longer accepted as evidence.
What is a share code?
A share code is a temporary access code that allows a UK employer to view a worker's immigration status through the Home Office's online service.
The worker generates the share code at gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status — it takes under two minutes. The resulting 9-character code is valid for 90 days from the date it is generated.
As the employer, you go to gov.uk/view-right-to-work, enter the share code and the worker's date of birth, and the Home Office's live system shows you:
- The worker's name and photograph
- Their nationality
- Whether they have the right to work in the UK
- Any expiry date on their right to work
- Any conditions (e.g. student work hour limits)
The share code check is your legal evidence of right to work. You screenshot the result and keep it on file.
What is a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)?
A BRP is a physical card — similar in size to a credit card — issued by the Home Office to non-UK nationals who have been granted permission to live in the UK for more than 6 months.
The BRP contains:
- The holder's photograph and fingerprints
- Their full name, date of birth and nationality
- Their immigration status (e.g. Skilled Worker, Student, ILR)
- The expiry date of their leave to remain
BRP holders include workers on Skilled Worker visas, Student visas, Graduate visas, Family visas, and those with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
The key difference: one is evidence, one is an access code
| | Share code | BRP card | |---|---|---| | What it is | Temporary digital access code | Physical identity card | | Issued by | Not issued — worker generates it themselves | Home Office | | Valid for | 90 days from generation | Duration of leave (or 10 years for ILR) | | Right-to-work evidence | ✅ Yes — since April 2022 | ❌ No longer accepted | | Who uses it | Employer checks it online | Worker carries it for ID purposes | | Shows live status | Yes — real-time Home Office data | No — shows status at time of issue only |
Why you can no longer use the BRP card for right-to-work checks
Before April 2022, employers could accept a BRP card as right-to-work evidence — photograph the card, keep a copy, done.
Since 6 April 2022, the Home Office removed BRP cards from the list of acceptable right-to-work documents. You must now use the online share code service for all BRP holders.
The reason: the online service shows live, real-time status — it reflects any changes to the worker's leave, conditions, or curtailments that may have happened after the card was issued. The physical card, once issued, cannot be updated to reflect these changes.
What this means for employers: if you photocopy a worker's BRP card and rely on that as your right-to-work evidence, you do not have a statutory excuse. You must complete the online share code check.
When does each one come up in practice?
Worker joins with a BRP card
The worker shows you their BRP card to confirm their identity — this is fine and expected. However, for the right-to-work check, you ask them to generate a share code and you check it online. The BRP card is for identity; the share code check is for right to work.
Share code expires after 90 days
If a worker's share code was generated more than 90 days ago and has expired, ask them to generate a new one. The BRP card does not substitute for an expired share code.
Worker's BRP card is about to expire
The card expiry is a prompt for you to conduct a follow-up right-to-work check — but the check itself is done via share code, not by inspecting the card. Ask the worker to generate a new share code reflecting their updated status.
Worker has ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
The BRP card of an ILR holder shows "no time limit" but still has a physical 10-year issue date (for travel purposes). For right-to-work purposes, the online share code check will confirm ILR — no time limit, no follow-up check required.
Summary: which do you need?
| Situation | What to use | |---|---| | Checking right to work for a BRP holder | Share code check at gov.uk/view-right-to-work | | Confirming worker identity | BRP card (for identity only, not RTW evidence) | | Follow-up check when BRP approaches expiry | New share code — not the physical card | | Worker cannot generate share code | Employer Checking Service (ECS) |
Frequently asked questions
Can a worker prove their right to work with just their BRP card? No. Since 6 April 2022, BRP cards are not accepted as right-to-work evidence. The worker must generate a share code and you must check it at gov.uk/view-right-to-work.
What if the worker refuses to generate a share code? You cannot employ someone who cannot demonstrate their right to work. If a worker is unwilling or unable to generate a share code, contact the Employer Checking Service before allowing them to work.
Can I check the BRP card as a secondary document alongside a share code? The share code check alone is sufficient. You do not need to also copy the BRP card once you have completed the online check and kept the screenshot.
What about EU nationals — do they use share codes or BRP cards? EU, EEA and Swiss nationals with settled or pre-settled status do not have BRP cards — they have a digital-only immigration status accessed through the online UKVI service. They generate a share code in exactly the same way as other overseas workers.
The worker has an old BRC (Biometric Residence Card from the EU Settlement Scheme) — is this still valid? BRCs were issued under the EU Settlement Scheme and are no longer being issued. For right-to-work purposes, holders must use the online share code service — the physical BRC card is not accepted as evidence.