Employers and agencies need to know if it is legal for their contractors to work in the UK and whether they need a work permit or visa.
It is a criminal offence to knowingly employ a person aged 16 or over who is subject to immigration control and who has no permission to work in the United Kingdom, or who works for you in breach of their conditions of stay in the United Kingdom.
If you knowingly employ a contractor with no right to work in the UK, you could be prosecuted and receive an unlimited fine and/or a maximum two year prison sentence.
This page explains how employers' can fulfil their responsibilities and check their contractors' entitlement to work in the United Kingdom.
Am I employing workers legally?
To confirm that employees have a right to work in the UK, employers should examine and check the following orginal documents. It is advisable to take a copy and keep notes of how, when and by whom the originals were checked.
Single Document
Passport or national identity card showing holder is:
