Unfortunately, we aren’t inviting you on holiday. No, the reason you need a passport is because of the new Digital Right to Work programme.

From October, the requirements of this initiative will mean it is essential that you have a valid passport when seeking new work opportunities.

This is because, under these plans, all jobseekers and contractors will only be able to obtain work remotely via the use of digital identity technology.

Although this change seems quite onerous, it is effectively an extension of what has become standard practice since the pandemic.

The system of  ‘Adjusted Checks’, whereby those who have been recruited can begin the actual work thanks to video interviewing and online document-checking, is now common practice and this new digital solution to Right to Work.

The only real problem is that the new digital identity system for employers is based on users having in-date, valid passports, which can be used to create a digital ID.

Unfortunately, according to the last census, one in five jobseekers does not have an in-date passport or visa.

To make matters worse, the waiting time for a new passport is growing and according to some estimates, the average wait is between three to four months.

That means if you are reading this and your passport is out of date or due to expire soon, it is important you act quickly to get it renewed, or you may have difficulty finding new work.