I'm hoping for advice around what I perceive to be discrimination against open work permit holders in the application process for university teaching positions. These positions are often specifying a requirement for citizenship/permanent residence and I am confused about the legality of an employer demanding this requirement and asking questions beyond a basic "are you legally entitled to work in Canada?".
About me:
1) I'm an open work permit holder (valid until 2019).
2) I'm eleven months into a spousal permanent residence application, which based on advertised processing times, I would expect to be completed within the next six months.
3) I hold a Canadian Ph.D. in a science subject.
4) I have international work experience as a university lecturer.
5) I'm applying for temporary and permanent university level teaching positions, achieving which are both a passion and long held ambition for me.
Now I'm experiencing discrimination as a result of my immigration status. I've been fortunate enough to interview for several positions, one of which I believe was not offerred to me as a direct result of my holding a work permit, rather than being a citizen/PR. Their application process didn't distinguish between the open work permit which I hold and that is supposed to make me eligible for any job (other than sex work) and the more common normal work permit that requires a labour market process).
Several of the positions I'm now applying for would start next summer, by which point I should be a permanent resident. However their application forms request current status, and often demand citizenship/ permanent residence at this point. I take great pride in my integrity and honesty and don't want to have to lie about my current status and list my anticipated status at the point the job would start. I want to enter the job market with my open work permit that is supposed to be "open" and give me access to jobs here now! What can I do in this situation? Is it even legal for employers to discriminate in this way? I realise that high level government jobs/ or security focused positions might need to discriminate, but I have already worked with Canadian students in a Canadian university while I was completing my Ph.D. here, handling confidential records relating to course grades and marks. I can't see any legitimate reason for discrimination of this sort.
I'd be very grateful if anyone can offer any advice. Should I claim PR status as I should have it before the job starts? Is this even a question that can legally be asked for this type of position? Please help! Thanks!
About me:
1) I'm an open work permit holder (valid until 2019).
2) I'm eleven months into a spousal permanent residence application, which based on advertised processing times, I would expect to be completed within the next six months.
3) I hold a Canadian Ph.D. in a science subject.
4) I have international work experience as a university lecturer.
5) I'm applying for temporary and permanent university level teaching positions, achieving which are both a passion and long held ambition for me.
Now I'm experiencing discrimination as a result of my immigration status. I've been fortunate enough to interview for several positions, one of which I believe was not offerred to me as a direct result of my holding a work permit, rather than being a citizen/PR. Their application process didn't distinguish between the open work permit which I hold and that is supposed to make me eligible for any job (other than sex work) and the more common normal work permit that requires a labour market process).
Several of the positions I'm now applying for would start next summer, by which point I should be a permanent resident. However their application forms request current status, and often demand citizenship/ permanent residence at this point. I take great pride in my integrity and honesty and don't want to have to lie about my current status and list my anticipated status at the point the job would start. I want to enter the job market with my open work permit that is supposed to be "open" and give me access to jobs here now! What can I do in this situation? Is it even legal for employers to discriminate in this way? I realise that high level government jobs/ or security focused positions might need to discriminate, but I have already worked with Canadian students in a Canadian university while I was completing my Ph.D. here, handling confidential records relating to course grades and marks. I can't see any legitimate reason for discrimination of this sort.
I'd be very grateful if anyone can offer any advice. Should I claim PR status as I should have it before the job starts? Is this even a question that can legally be asked for this type of position? Please help! Thanks!