Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Home Office introduced temporary measures on 30th March 2020 where the right to work checks could be carried out over video calls and job applicants could send scanned/photographed documents to their employers rather than sending originals.
These temporary adjustments ended on 16th May 2021. From 17th May, employers will have to either check the applicants’ original documents or check the right to work online on Gov.uk, if provided with a share code.
Carrying out retrospective checks between 30th March 2020 and 16th May 2021 do not need to be carried out on those who’ve had an ‘adjusted check’, done in the manner prescribed in the COVID-19 adjusted checks guidance.
To find more information on the right to work checks during COVID-19, visit the relevant HMRC webpage.