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Right to Work and Preventing Illegal Working
Right to Work and Preventing Illegal Working, online in about 30 to 45 minutes on any device. The course covers the law and penalties, who to check and when, the three types of check, follow-up and records, and fairness.
Who it is for
Who this course is for
Managers, recruiters, HR and onboarding staff, agency and supply chain coordinators, and anyone who hires, engages or onboards workers in the UK. No previous training is assumed.
- HR and recruitment staff
- Hiring managers
- Payroll and onboarding teams
- Agencies and labour providers
- Anyone who checks right to work
Course content
What the course covers
Five short lessons covering the law and why it matters, who to check, and when, the three ways to check, follow-up checks and records, and fair and lawful checks, then a 12-question assessment.
The law and why it matters
Illegal working, the civil penalty, the statutory excuse, and the criminal offence.
Who to check, and when
Everyone, before they start; workers covered from October 2026; agencies and supply chains.
The three ways to check
Manual document checks, digital checks through registered providers, and Home Office online checks.
Follow-up checks and records
Time-limited permission, follow-up checks, the Employer Checking Service, and keeping records.
Fair and lawful checks
Avoiding discrimination, treating everyone the same, handling concerns and exploitation.
Outcomes
What you will be able to do
- Explain the law on illegal working and the penalties
- Identify who must be checked and when
- Carry out a manual, digital or online check correctly
- Manage follow-up checks and record keeping
- Avoid discrimination while preventing illegal working
Your legal duty
The law behind this training
This course is awareness training on right to work checks and preventing illegal working, in line with Home Office guidance and the Code of practice on preventing illegal working. It is not immigration advice. Home Office guidance changes often, so always use the current employer's guide and your organisation's procedure.
One thing to be clear about: check everyone, every time, before they start work, and treat everyone the same way. Never guess someone's right to work from their name, accent or appearance.
- Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, ss15 to 25
- Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, ss15 and 21
- Immigration (Employment of Adults Subject to Immigration Control) (Maximum Penalty) (Amendment) Order 2023, SI 2023/1340
- Immigration Act 2016, s38
- Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025, s48
- UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
- Equality Act 2010
- Modern Slavery Act 2015
Practicalities
How the course works
For employers
Buying for a team
Buying for more than a couple of people is easier on an account: one invoice, licences you allocate as staff join, and a report of who has done what and when it expires.
- One invoice instead of one card payment per person
- Allocate licences as people join
- Completion and expiry reporting for your records
- Bespoke versions written around your own procedures
Right to Work and Preventing Illegal Working: common questions
About 30 to 45 minutes, with no time limit: start it, pause it, and come back whenever suits. The certificate is issued as soon as you pass the end assessment.
Yes. Each lesson ends with short knowledge checks, then there is a 12-question assessment with a pass mark of 70% (9 of 12). You can retake it as often as you need.
The certificate is valid for 1 year, and we recommend a refresher every year.
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