Right to work guidance finalised for 1 October checks
02 Oct 2026
If you're on a Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, or another sponsored visa, this affects the people who employ you, not just you directly, but it's worth knowing about. GOV.UK added its final "Employer's guide to right to work checks" guidance for 1 October 2026, replacing the earlier draft version.
The biggest change is who has to run the checks. From 1 October 2026, the duty to carry out right to work checks extends beyond traditional employees. Independent reporting on the guidance says it now covers "relevant worker contracts, individual subcontractors, and some online matching services," meaning more employers and platforms now have to verify a person's right to work, not just those who directly employ staff on payroll. Employers who fail to show they completed the correct checks can face a civil penalty of up to £60,000 for each illegal worker.
This doesn't change your own visa conditions, but it does mean more of the people you work for or through, including agencies and some platform-based work, may now ask you to prove your right to work who didn't have to before. Make sure your eVisa and share code are ready to show whenever you're asked, since these checks are being applied more widely from 1 October 2026.
Sources: