Passport verifier guide

If someone has sent you a Skills Passport link, this page tells you what you are looking at, what verification does, and what to do if it does not work. You do not need an account.

A Skills Passport is a portable record of a person's measured capabilities. The person it belongs to has chosen to publish it for verification. Each rating links to a SFIA skill code with the corresponding level. The platform signs every passport so anyone with the link can confirm it has not been altered.

What you're looking at

A Skills Passport is a portable record of a person's capability ratings. The person it belongs to has chosen to publish it for verification. Each rating links to a SFIA skill code with the corresponding level. You see what the participant chose to publish — not their full assessment history.

How verification works

Each passport carries an HMAC-SHA256 signature over the rating data. When you load the page, the platform re-computes the signature and confirms the data has not been tampered with. A valid passport shows a verified badge; an invalid one shows the failure reason. The check happens on every load — no human step is required.

What you see vs. what you don't

You see: the SFIA skill codes, the ratings, the issuing organisation, the published date, optional translations to ESCO or O*NET. You don't see: the raw evidence behind the ratings, the participant's full assessment history, or any data they have not consented to share. The summary is verifiable on its own; you do not need the underlying evidence to take the level seriously.

What to do if it doesn't verify

If the page reports the signature as invalid, the passport may have been altered, may have expired, or may have been revoked. Contact the participant or the issuing organisation for a current link. If you suspect fraud, contact the platform via the abuse channel below. A failed verification is not itself evidence of wrongdoing — it can also mean the URL was mistyped or the page was screenshotted rather than served live.

How to interpret SFIA levels

SFIA levels run from 1 (Follow) to 7 (Set strategy). They describe how independently a person works, what scope of influence they carry, and what complexity they handle — not just technical depth. Levels are not a ladder of value; they describe a kind of contribution. Most roles call for a mix.

What translations mean

Some passports include ESCO (European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations) or O*NET (US Occupational Information Network) translations of the SFIA skills. These are mappings — not authorities — and each carries a confidence level: 'high' for published crosswalks, 'medium' for inferred mappings, 'low' for tentative ones. Treat low-confidence translations as starting points, not verifications. The SFIA level remains the authoritative reading.

Privacy and use

Verifying a passport does not create an account. The platform logs verification requests for fraud monitoring but does not link them to identifying detail unless you supply one. The participant is not notified that you verified. You may share the passport URL with colleagues in your verifier team; nothing on the page reveals who has opened it.

SFIA levels at a glance

A one-line description for each of the seven SFIA levels. See the SFIA reference for the full descriptors.

SFIA levels at a glance
Level	Name	Description
L1	Follow Performs routine activities under close direction; limited discretion.	Performs routine activities under close direction; limited discretion.
L2	Assist Performs varied activities with some discretion; assists colleagues with related tasks.	Performs varied activities with some discretion; assists colleagues with related tasks.
L3	Apply Performs a range of activities, exercising judgement within procedures; resolves routine problems.	Performs a range of activities, exercising judgement within procedures; resolves routine problems.
L4	Enable Performs diverse, complex activities; supports and enables others; substantial autonomy.	Performs diverse, complex activities; supports and enables others; substantial autonomy.
L5	Ensure, advise Provides authoritative guidance; ensures work meets professional standards; broad influence.	Provides authoritative guidance; ensures work meets professional standards; broad influence.
L6	Initiate, influence Initiates significant activities; influences policy and strategy; accountable for substantial outcomes.	Initiates significant activities; influences policy and strategy; accountable for substantial outcomes.
L7	Set strategy, inspire, mobilise Sets strategy across the organisation; mobilises resources at scale; accountable at the highest level.	Sets strategy across the organisation; mobilises resources at scale; accountable at the highest level.

See the full SFIA reference