Keeping evidence of an online employment check

Evidence of an online right-to-work check should preserve the employer-service result and show when the check was completed. Confirm that the photograph relates to the person and that the permission allows the proposed work, including any restrictions or follow-up requirement.

Use a record format that remains readable and accessible to authorised staff. A diary entry saying checked does not preserve the information needed to demonstrate the process.

Retain the employer-service profile itself

After completing the online check, save or print the profile page that confirms the individual's right to work and includes the photograph and date of the check. The Home Office identifies this as the evidence to retain. ^[1] A candidate's screenshot, an email containing a share code or an HR system status marked verified does not preserve the employer-side result on its own.

Check the saved file before closing the browser session. It should contain the relevant permission information, be readable and relate to the correct employee. If a print-to-file process cuts off the conditions or date, obtain a complete copy through the available service options. Avoid relying on a bookmark to a temporary page that another authorised colleague may be unable to access later.

Connect the evidence to the identity comparison

Record who performed the check and how the photograph was compared with the person presenting for work. The online process permits that comparison in person or by video call. ^[1] The evidence file should support the completed process rather than simply prove that someone entered a code. Keep the note factual and avoid adding a later check date to an earlier result without explaining what was actually done.

Where a name or photograph discrepancy was resolved, retain the relevant explanation and supporting records in the controlled file. Do not change the Home Office output to match the recruitment system. If a corrected profile is obtained later, keep the chronology clear so the employer can explain the original issue and the subsequent action. A name mismatch in right-to-work documents addresses name differences and the evidence needed to assess them fairly.

Record conditions in a usable operational form

Keep the full result as the source record, then create a concise internal summary of any work restriction or required follow-up. Identify the job and hours assessed so the meaning is not lost when the employee moves teams. A general field saying visa valid may fail to communicate an important restriction. The summary should point back to the evidence rather than become an unsupported replacement for it.

Give managers the information they need to organise lawful work without routinely sharing the complete identity document. For example, a rota manager may need to know the applicable hours limit and term-time dates but not every personal detail in the profile. Agree who updates the operational summary if a later check changes the conditions. This prevents an old restriction or an incorrect assumption of unrestricted work remaining in circulation.

Store the record securely and make retrieval possible

Use a controlled personnel folder or suitable HR system with access limited to authorised staff. Apply a consistent naming convention containing an employee identifier and check date, without exposing unnecessary personal details in shared directory listings. The Home Office requires the evidence to be retained during employment and for two years afterwards, with secure destruction following the applicable requirements. ^[1] Record the leaving date so the retention process can be applied correctly.

Check that the organisation can retrieve the file promptly if needed. A record stored only in a recruiter's personal downloads folder may be lost when the device is replaced or the employee leaves. Include the evidence in the relevant backup and access arrangements, and confirm that exported files remain readable when an HR system changes. Keep a migration log if the file is moved to a new platform.

Preserve the sequence of later checks

For any required follow-up, save the new result as a separate dated record rather than overwriting the original. The employer guide requires the evidence process to be repeated for follow-up checks. ^[1] The file should show how the employer established the position at the start and at later relevant points. This matters where permission or conditions changed during employment and the current result does not explain earlier periods.

Use Follow-up right-to-work checks to organise reminders and responsibility for those checks. For assistance reviewing the administrative evidence process, see Workforce immigration audit support. If the review raises questions about an individual's immigration permission, obtain advice from an appropriately regulated or otherwise legally authorised adviser. An audit of file completeness should not silently become an unsupported legal conclusion about the person's status.

Before marking the record complete, check the employee identifier, readable profile, actual check date, identity-comparison note and any follow-up action together. If a historic item is missing, record the gap honestly and obtain advice about remediation. A new check can establish the current evidence position but should not be backdated or presented as proof that an earlier check was performed when that cannot be demonstrated.

Illustrative scenario

An HR administrator saves the employer-service profile and records the check date after confirming identity by the permitted process. A later audit can trace the evidence without asking the employee to recreate the original check.

Preparation checklist

• Save the employer result
• Record the check date
• Confirm identity and conditions
• Store the evidence securely