UK Right to Work Checks: What Zimbabweans Need to Know as an Employee or Employer

Right to work checks are a legal requirement for every employer in the UK, and understanding how the system works is essential for Zimbabweans — whether you are building a career here or running a business that employs others. Getting this wrong carries serious consequences: civil penalties for employers, and potential criminal prosecution for employees working without authorisation. ## The Digital Shift: eVisas Have Replaced BRPs From 31 December 2024, Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) were phased out. The UK government moved to a fully digital immigration system, replacing physical BRPs with eVisas. An eVisa is a digital record of your UK immigration status — it confirms your conditions of stay, including your right to work and rent. It is accessed through the Home Office's View and Prove system. If you were previously on a BRP, you should now have an eVisa linked to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online account. If you have not yet set this up, do so through GOV.UK before your employer needs to verify your status. ## How the Check Works: The Share Code System The primary method for proving your right to work is through a share code. As an employee or job applicant, you generate this code yourself by logging into your UKVI account and selecting the option to prove your right to work. You will need one of the following to access the service: - Your Biometric Residence Permit number (if transitioning) - Your Biometric Residence Card number - Your passport or national identity card Once generated, share your unique code and your date of birth with your employer. The code is valid for 90 days from the date it is created — do not generate it too early. Your employer then enters these details into the Home Office's online Right to Work Check Service to see your immigration status, the type of work you are permitted to do, and how long your authorisation lasts. Physical BRPs, BRCs, and Frontier Worker Permits have not been acceptable as proof of right to work since 6 April 2022. Even if a document shows a later expiry date, employers must use the online service. ## For Employers: Your Legal Obligations Every employer in the UK must conduct a right to work check on all new employees before they start work — this applies to every nationality, including British citizens. Failure to do so removes your statutory excuse and exposes you to civil penalties if an employee is later found to be working without authorisation. Your obligations as an employer: 1. **Request a share code** from the employee and verify it online using the Home Office's Right to Work Check Service at GOV.UK. 2. **Confirm the photograph** shown in the online check matches the person presenting themselves for work. 3. **Retain a clear record** of the check result — stored securely, either electronically or in hard copy — for the duration of employment and for two years afterwards. 4. **Conduct follow-up checks** if the employee's right to work is time-limited. Diarise the visa expiry date and carry out a repeat check before it lapses. For British and Irish nationals who do not have a valid passport or smart phone with NFC capability, a manual check using acceptable documents (such as a birth certificate combined with proof of National Insurance) remains an option. ## Working While Your Visa Application Is Pending Many Zimbabweans find themselves anxious during the period between submitting a visa extension or switching application and receiving a decision. The rules here are specific. If you submitted your application in-time — that is, before midnight on the date your current visa expired — your existing leave continues under what is known as Section 3C leave. This means you retain the same right to work you had under your previous visa while you wait for a decision. Your employer can verify this through the Home Office's Employer Checking Service (ECS), which issues a Positive Verification Notice confirming your authorisation to work. If your visa expired before you applied, Section 3C does not apply. You would not have the right to work during the waiting period, and continuing to work would risk criminal prosecution and could jeopardise future immigration applications. For those on a Student visa waiting for a Graduate visa decision, student working restrictions (typically 20 hours per week during term time) continue to apply during the gap period. ## Visa Renewals: Timing Matters Apply for your visa renewal one to three months before your current visa expires. Standard processing can take 8 to 12 weeks, though Priority Service (approximately 5 working days) and Super Priority Service (next working day) are available at additional cost if needed. Avoid travelling outside the UK while an application is pending, as doing so may result in the application being withdrawn. ## A Note on Employing Zimbabweans on Skilled Worker Visas If you are an employer sponsoring workers on Skilled Worker visas, you must issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and keep track of visa expiry dates. Extensions must be applied for within 3 months of a new CoS being issued or before the current visa expires — whichever is sooner. Use diary systems or HR platforms to track these deadlines proactively. The Employer Checking Service is available for situations where a worker cannot immediately produce documentation — for example, if their application or appeal with the Home Office is still outstanding.