A return to physical Right to Work checks has been delayed by the Government following heavy criticism by the recruitment industry. APSCo summarised the inherent contradictions in the policy:

• A return to F2F checks would hamper recovery by enforcing location-based hiring.
• F2F checks require people to travel to provide physical documents, yet guidance is still to work from home.
• There is an online checking service (share code) for EU nationals and non-EU workers (Government Employer Checking Service).  Why not for UK nationals?
• F2F screening creates a barrier for business who don’t work in ‘traditional’ physical locations
• Scrapping remote screening could limit employment by limiting choice and access.
• Physical checking does not mean safer. People are not as good as technology is at spotting fraudulent documents