Has a recruitment agency ever asked for - and created a scanned copy of - your passport?I met with a firm yesterday who did just this. However, I'm a bit concerned with the security of my personal info and also any attempts to strong-arm me in the future regarding roles etc.Has this happened to anybody or any one have any advice as to how I proceed? Would it be reasonable to request that they remove my info from their systems if I'm placed in a new position (either by them or someone else)?

Yeah, fairly standard way to confirm right to work, esp. for temping where you are technically employed by the agency.I can't see how it could be used to strong-arm you in the future... they threaten to show people your passport photo with the embarrassing haircut?

Yes, it is a legal requirement that any employer enures the person they are taking on has the legal right to work in the UK. Last year the Sec of State for Justice forgot to do this with on eof her cleaners who turned out to be an illegal immigrant.Often agencies do it to ensure they do not send an illegal candiadte.

I was asked and took along my passport to an agency but refused to let them take a copy. Was not a problem, they understood my reasons in this day and age of ID fraud and were happy to note on file for their benefit that they had seen it as evidence of status to work in UK and had no issue with sending me to interview with their clients.Any agency should respect this if you have actually shown them your ID to reassure them.

It's standard for an agency to do this (get a copy of passport or driving license) to comply with The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003:Confirmation to be obtained about a work-seeker 19. Neither an agency nor an employment business may introduce or supply a work-seeker to a hirer unless it has obtained confirmation - (a) of the identity of the work-seeker

19 is in relation to where the agency or hirer becomes the employer. This is not the case if you contract to the agency or hirer via a UK limited company as you are the employee of that company NOT the hirer or agency. Have a look at ALL the legislation with regard the right to work in the UK and you will see everything relates to the employer being responsible for this check...even the risk of a £10K fine which the request from the agency boils down to. Quite often these requests are instigated by an employee of the agency who does not fully understand the law, indeed they are just doing their job and requesting the passport copy.I have contracted via my own UK company on many occasions. I likewise am not happy to have a copy of my passport winging it's was to some Indian office for it then to be sold onto the black market for a few rupees. Your data is not safe in their hands and you are within your right to politely refuse their request for a copy of your passport and offer to show them the actual goods on the day you start your contract.However, if they or the hirer will ultimately be your employer then I suggest you photocopy it and use photo editing software to embed a BIG watermark across the photo such that you will make it less attractive to be sold on for later use of ID theft[quote]It's standard for an agency to do this (get a copy of passport or driving license) to comply with The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003:Confirmation to be obtained about a work-seeker 19. Neither an agency nor an employment business may introduce or supply a work-seeker to a hirer unless it has obtained confirmation - (a) of the identity of the work-seeker[/quote]