Share code for your employer: how to get one
A share code lets your employer check your right to work. Get the code on GOV.UK and give it to them with your date of birth.
- Open the official “Prove your right to work” service — the link is below.
- Sign in with your UKVI account details and choose proof of the right to work.
- Send the code you receive and your date of birth to your employer through an agreed private channel.
Get and share the code
Have ready the document or number you use to sign in, your date of birth and access to the linked email or phone. UKVI uses your account details and checks your access; do not look for a standard “email + password” sign-in button that does not exist if the service asks for a document number.
For employment, open the service for proving your right to work. Check your name, photo, permitted work and validity period. If the record is incorrect, report an error. The service generates the code: do not make one up or rewrite it to match a template someone has shown you.
The code is valid for 90 days and can be used again during that period; you can get a new one if needed. Give the code accurately along with your date of birth. Your employer checks them through their official service and sees the information needed for the check.
W, R and S: choose the purpose
The first letter helps distinguish the purposes. W is used for work, R for renting in England and S for other checks. A code for one purpose does not replace another: if you chose the wrong purpose, get a new one. Do not change the letter yourself.
Right to Rent is a separate scheme in England; it cannot automatically be applied to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. For a carrier or another organisation, choose the relevant option in the status viewing service. Do not treat a general S code as proof of the right to do any kind of work.
If your employer is waiting right now
Check that the code is still valid, was selected for work and has been given with the correct date of birth. Ask your employer to use the Right to Work check specifically, rather than the rental page. Save the error message without publishing your personal details.
If you cannot sign in, open the recovery service. If you can sign in but cannot generate a code, report an eVisa error. If a technical problem prevents you from getting a code or the digital check from being completed, your employer can contact the Employer Checking Service. This is a request from the employer to the Home Office, not a way to give yourself permission to work.
Why your employer checks your photo
The code check includes establishing that the record belongs to you and checking the work conditions. The photo can be compared in person, by video call or through the specified digital method using a registered provider. Your employer must follow the current Home Office guidance.
A screenshot of your page or a printout of its contents alone does not replace the required online check. If the photo is wrong or you cannot be recognised from it, update it through the official process or report an error. Do not give your employer a one-time sign-in code for this check.
When another way of proving your status is needed
The same service does not suit everyone. British and Irish citizens, people with other documents or people with pending applications may have other approved ways to be checked. For a seasonal worker, what matters is valid permission and its conditions, not whether a colleague has a BRP card.
If your eVisa is not visible, first check that linking it to your account is complete. Do not create a second account just because you could not get a code. The exact process depends on whether you have lost access or the record itself is incorrect.
What the code does not resolve
Your share code and date of birth are for the specific person checking your status. Do not post them in a group chat. A sign-in code sent by SMS or email is a different code: do not give it to an employer, intermediary or chat administrator. Svoi does not ask for your passport, date of birth or access to UKVI.
A new code does not correct an incorrect status, extend your visa or guarantee employment. If the listed conditions prevent you from doing the work offered, discuss this with your scheme operator and a regulated immigration adviser. Until the issue is resolved, do not treat a code generated by the system as permission to break the conditions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a share code?
Open GOV.UK Prove your right to work, sign in with your account details and get a code for work. Give your employer the code and your date of birth.
What do W, R and S mean in a share code?
W means work; R means renting in England; S means other purposes. Choose the right purpose in the service; do not change the letter yourself.
Can I use the same share code more than once?
Yes, you can use it again within 90 days. You can get a new one if needed. The code's validity period does not extend your visa's validity period.
What is an imposter check?
It is a check that the photo and record belong to the person in front of the employer. It is part of the right to work check; a worker's screenshot alone does not replace it.
Do I need to give my employer the SMS sign-in code?
No. A share code for a check and a one-time sign-in code are different things. Your employer does not need access to your UKVI account for a standard check.