TD
Key Takeaways
- Every UK employer is legally required to verify right to work before employment begins — it is not optional or negotiable.
- Most people now prove status digitally with a share code rather than a physical document.
- Requiring sponsorship and having no right to work are different things, and conflating them costs candidates interviews.
- State your status in one clear clause on your CV; ambiguity is resolved against you.
- Employers cannot legally employ you without a valid check, so it always surfaces before you start.
Right to work is the question every UK employer must answer before you can begin, and the question most international candidates handle badly on their CV — either by omitting it entirely or by writing something so vague the recruiter assumes the hardest case.
The mechanics are simple once explained, and stating your position clearly is one of the cheapest improvements available to an international applicant.
This guide covers what employers check, how to prove status, and how to write it.
Make sure the CV carrying that clause parses cleanly — the free ATS score checker.
What the employer must do
UK employers face civil penalties for employing someone without the right to work, so the check is mandatory and consistently enforced. They must:
- Verify your status before employment starts
- Keep evidence of the check
- Repeat it if your permission is time-limited
This is why the question appears on application forms and comes up in the first recruiter call. The recruiter is not being obstructive; they are doing a legally required screen.
How status is proved
Share code — the digital route. Most people with immigration permission now prove it through the government's online service, which generates a share code the employer enters alongside your date of birth. It shows them your status and any conditions.
You generate the code yourself and it is valid for a limited period, so generate it when asked rather than in advance.
Passport — for British and Irish citizens. A UK or Irish passport is generally sufficient on its own.
Physical documents still apply in some cases, though the system has moved substantially to digital.
The categories, and what each means for applications
British or Irish citizen. Unrestricted. Nothing to state beyond confirming it if asked.
Settled status or indefinite leave to remain. Unrestricted right to work, no sponsorship required, no time limit. Say this explicitly — it is a significant advantage and candidates frequently leave it off, allowing employers to assume otherwise.
Pre-settled status. Right to work, time-limited. Employers will re-check when it expires.
Graduate visa. Unrestricted work rights for its duration, no sponsorship required. This is the strongest position for an international graduate and should be stated with the expiry date — see the UK Graduate visa guide.
Skilled Worker visa. Tied to a specific sponsoring employer. Moving jobs requires the new employer to sponsor you — see the UK Skilled Worker visa guide.
Student visa. Limited working hours during term time, usually more during vacations. State the restriction rather than leaving it to be discovered — see UK part-time student jobs.
Dependant visa. Often carries work rights, sometimes unrestricted. Worth stating clearly because employers frequently misunderstand this category.
No current permission. You require sponsorship, which most UK employers do not offer.
The distinction that matters most
Candidates conflate two very different situations, and it costs them:
"I need sponsorship" — you have no current UK work permission, so an employer must hold a sponsor licence and issue a Certificate of Sponsorship. This narrows your search substantially.
"I have the right to work but it is time-limited" — you can start tomorrow with no employer action at all. A Graduate visa holder is in this position and is nearly as straightforward to hire as a citizen for the duration.
Writing "visa required" when you hold a Graduate visa is a self-inflicted rejection. The employer reads it as the first case and screens you out.
How to write it on your CV
One clause, on the contact line or at the end of your personal statement.
Unrestricted:
British citizen — no sponsorship required
Settled status — unrestricted right to work in the UK
Time-limited but unrestricted:
Graduate visa valid to September 2028 — no sponsorship required
Sponsorship needed:
Requires Skilled Worker sponsorship
Currently sponsored, moving:
Skilled Worker visa (current employer) — transfer of sponsorship required
The placement and CV conventions are covered in the UK CV format guide.
Why state it at all? Because the alternative is the recruiter guessing, and the guess goes against you. An unstated status on a foreign-sounding CV is frequently read as "needs sponsorship", which is the worst case.
If you do need sponsorship
Target employers who hold a sponsor licence. The Home Office publishes a register of every licensed sponsor, and it is the single most valuable filter in a visa-dependent search — most UK employers are not on it, and an application to one that is not is wasted regardless of fit.
The full strategy is in how to get a job in the UK as a foreigner, and the visa mechanics in the UK Skilled Worker visa guide.
Common Mistakes
Leaving status off the CV. Recruiters resolve ambiguity against you, so silence on a foreign-sounding application is usually read as needing sponsorship.
Writing "visa required" when you hold a Graduate visa. You have unrestricted work rights and need no employer action — describing it as sponsorship is a self-inflicted rejection.
Not stating settled status or ILR. It is a genuine advantage over other international candidates and is frequently omitted entirely.
Generating a share code far in advance. Codes expire, so produce one when the employer asks rather than months earlier.
Assuming a big employer must sponsor. Many large UK employers hold no sponsor licence, which is why checking the published register first matters.
Hiding a student visa's hour restrictions. It surfaces at the right-to-work check and creates a problem at exactly the wrong moment.
Misdescribing a dependant visa. Many carry unrestricted work rights, and employers often misunderstand the category unless you state it plainly.
Waiting until offer stage to raise sponsorship. It always surfaces before you start, and late disclosure wastes the process for both sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a share code?
A code you generate through the government's online service that lets an employer view your immigration status and any work conditions. It is the standard digital method of proving right to work.
Do British citizens need a share code?
Generally no — a UK or Irish passport is normally sufficient evidence on its own.
What is the difference between needing sponsorship and having limited leave?
Sponsorship means you have no current work permission and the employer must hold a licence and sponsor you. Limited leave, such as a Graduate visa, means you can work now without any employer action, just for a defined period.
Should I put my visa status on my CV?
Yes, in one clause. Leaving it unstated means the recruiter assumes, and the assumption is usually the least favourable one.
Can I work on a Student visa?
Usually with restricted hours during term time and more during vacations. State the restriction openly rather than letting it emerge at the check.
How do I find employers who sponsor?
The Home Office publishes a register of licensed sponsors. Filtering your search to that list removes the largest source of wasted applications.
When does the check actually happen?
Before employment begins, without exception — employers face penalties for getting it wrong, so it never gets skipped.
Make sure the CV carrying your status clause parses. Check your ATS score free.
Make This Practical
Write your status as one clause and put it on the contact line. Be specific — "Graduate visa valid to September 2028, no sponsorship required" reads completely differently from "visa required", and candidates routinely write the second when the first is true.
Then check which situation you are actually in. If you hold any current work permission, you can start without employer action and should say so plainly. If you genuinely need sponsorship, filter your search to the Home Office register of licensed sponsors before applying anywhere.
Finally, handle the mechanics correctly. Generate a share code when an employer asks rather than in advance since codes expire, state any hour restrictions openly, and raise sponsorship needs early rather than at offer stage — the check happens before you start either way.
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