By arch.portfolio member Kareena Prescott.
In March 2020 the Home Office made the following temporary changes to Right to Work Checks due to Covid-19:
- checks can be carried out over video calls
- job applicants and existing workers can send scanned documents or a photo of documents for checks using email or a mobile app, rather than sending originals
- employers should use the Home Office Employer Checking Serviceif a prospective or existing employee cannot provide any of the accepted documents
On 22 February 2022, the Home Office updated its Covid-19 Right to Work Checks, extending the temporary changes up to and including 30 September 2022. For more information see link https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-right-to-work-checks
By way of background, the Home Office had planned to introduce new digital right to work checks from 6 April 2022, using Identification Document Validation Technology (IDVT). This approach would allow employers to conduct remote digital right to work checks provided they use a Home Office approved IDVT provider.
It’s prudent to note IDVT will only cover valid British passports and valid Irish passports (including passport cards). IDVT will not cover any other physical documents that currently form the basis of the compliant way to conduct a manual right to work check.
The extension of temporary changes to checks is a sensible measure acknowledging the difficulties employers would face if they had to return to manually checking original documents in person at the same time as IDVT is launched.
There will be a fee payable for using IDVT, so some employers may prefer to return to fully compliant manual right to work checks in person rather than using this.
All employers will need to ensure that adequate processes are put in place to carry out fully compliant manual right to work checks from 1 October 2022.
