Step 1 - Document Validation
Foreign Employees
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Employers must gather suitable identification to establish the country of origin of their potential employee and whether they are legally entitled to work in the UK.
The Home Office website lists all the combination of documents that are acceptable but we suggest as far as possible employers stick to passport. We suggest employers request all potential employees whether foreign or UK Nationals to make their passport available to the employer. The employer should then check the photograph is of the potential employee and then photocopy the page(s) which contain the photograph, signature and any UK stamps which authorise work in the UK.
We suggest that employers' should be cautious if a person does not have a passport. There are two main exceptions:
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If they have lived in the UK all their life and not needed one. In which case a proof of working in the UK P45/ P60 plus an original birth certificate is necessary;
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Or they are an asylum seeker permitted to work in the UK, in which case they should be able to produce an Application Registration Card issued by the Home Office which states they are permitted to work.
Passport is by far the simplest document for employers to request. By requesting the passport from all potential employees it also means the employer avoids any finding they may have discriminated in their recruitment process.
But other documents are acceptable in place of the passport details are given on the Home Office web site or by telephoning the Home Office Employers' Helpline 0845 010 6677.
Now move to Step 2.