20 June 2021: End of the coronavirus remote right to work concession

The Home Office has now extended its remote right work check concession (previously due to expire on 17 May) to 20 June 2021, to align with the easing of lockdown and social distancing measures. Employers may continue to check electronic copies of documents remotely until that date.

As part of the Prevention of Illegal Working obligations, all employers are required to check the right to work of all employees’ original documents in person on or before their first day of work. Due to the pandemic, however, employers have temporarily not been required to see an employee’s original document in person in order to carry out a compliant right to work check, and can carry out a remote right to work check instead. A remote check is currently done by reviewing an electronic copy of the document and holding a video call with the employee. 

From 20 June remote right to work checks can still be completed via video link, but employers must view the employee’s original documents. If not back in the workplace, this will need to be done by the employee sending (e.g. by post or courier) their original documents to the employer to check ahead of the video call.

Employers can still check the right to work online for those issued with a Biometric Resident Permit or granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme. The original document does not need to be checked in these circumstances.