Belfast-based workforce platform Locate a Locum announced on 10 May 2026 that, from January, all non-UK/Irish users will be required to supply a Home Office ‘Share Code’ to confirm their right to work before they can book shifts through the app. The company serves thousands of pharmacy and healthcare locums across Britain and says automated passport-and-selfie verification will replace manual document reviews. Share Codes—unique identifiers generated by the Home Office’s online service—allow employers to view a worker’s immigration status in real time. While major corporates have already embedded them into onboarding workflows, many SMEs and gig-economy platforms still rely on PDF visas or Biometric Residence Permit scans that are technically non-compliant. Locate a Locum’s move signals a broader shift toward API-based right-to-work checks in the contingent labour market.
For organisations or professionals who need additional support with Share Codes, visa renewals or other immigration paperwork, VisaHQ provides a simple online solution. Its UK platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) offers real-time visa guidance, document validation and application services, helping employers and locums alike stay compliant with Home Office rules.
For global-mobility managers, the development is a reminder that digital compliance is cascading down supply chains. Any company using third-party staffing apps should confirm that the provider is recording right-to-work evidence in a form acceptable to the Home Office and retaining audit trails for at least two years after the assignment ends. Failure to do so risks civil penalties of up to £60,000 per illegal worker under the revised regime that came into force in April. The announcement also has practical implications for international professionals: workers with EU Pre-Settled Status, Skilled-Worker visas or Graduate visas will need to keep their UKVI accounts active to regenerate Share Codes every 90 days. Mobility teams may wish to circulate guidance and schedule reminders to avoid shift cancellations or payroll holds.