What is a share code?
If you’re not British or Irish, a share code lets an employer check your right to work in the UK online. You get it from your UKVI account and give it with your date of birth. It lasts 90 days.
How to get a share code
- Go to the GOV.UK service Prove your right to work to an employer.
- Sign in with the details you use for your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, for example your passport or national identity card. You’ll also need the phone number or email address linked to the account.
- Choose to prove your right to work and get the code.
- Give the employer the share code and your date of birth. You don’t need to show them your eVisa itself.
You can use the same code as many times as you need for 90 days, and get a new one at any time.
What the employer sees
The employer enters your share code and date of birth on Check a job applicant’s right to work. It shows them:
- the types of work you’re allowed to do in the UK
- how long you can work in the UK for, if there’s a time limit
- some of your personal details (GOV.UK tells you which when you get the code)
Employers must check your right to work before you start. If your permission has an end date, they have to check again before it runs out.
Who can get one
You can get a share code if you’re not a British or Irish citizen and you have a UKVI account, which you’ll have if you hold an eVisa, applied to the EU Settlement Scheme, or used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app when applying for a visa.
British and Irish citizens can’t get a share code. They prove their right to work with a passport (current or expired), or with other documents GOV.UK lists.
Can an employer insist on a share code?
If you’re not British or Irish, GOV.UK says you can choose: a share code or your eligible immigration documents. An employer can’t reject you because you gave them an eligible document instead of a share code.
Employers can no longer accept biometric residence permits (BRPs) or biometric residence cards as documents, so if that’s all you have, you’ll usually need a share code.
What it means for your job search
A share code proves the right to work you already have. It doesn’t give you a new one. If you are on a Graduate visa, an employer checking your share code sees when your permission ends, so it may ask whether you’ll need sponsorship later. It’s fine to be upfront about it.
To move onto a work visa, the employer needs a sponsor licence and has to assign you a certificate of sponsorship.
Browse jobs at licensed sponsors · Graduate visa: what happens next
Common questions
How long does a share code last?
A right-to-work share code lasts for 90 days. You can use it as many times as you need in that time, and get a new one whenever you need it.
What does an employer need to check my share code?
Your share code and your date of birth. They enter both on the GOV.UK service Check a job applicant’s right to work.
Can British or Irish citizens get a share code?
No. British and Irish citizens prove their right to work with a passport (current or expired), or other documents listed on GOV.UK.