jobs that require US citizenship

[tokyobelle 2]

so i've been approached by head hunters for about 4x now, probably for the same job, for the same client. it's a job in Tucson, AZ for an Application Packager, which what i do back in Japan. i don't know how these head hunters do to really find the right person but for the job boards i have registered, i chose "authorized to work for any employer" as opposed to US Citizen.

so the head hunters were really accommodating until they find out i am not a citizen yet. i asked the last recruiter why don't they even consider GC holders. she said it's a long term job. the contract is actually 6 months with a choice to stay for as long as you want, so i'm just puzzled with the reasoning unless this job really needs security clearances and such (which i doubt).

i am just surprised cuz i thought in Japan i would only be discriminated of being a woman (very traditional Japanese companies normally do not promote women) and coming from the Philippines.

are these job specifications legal and what can i do about it next time?

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

One of the biggest employers in Tucson is a defense contractor. There are smaller companies but that one you have a hard time getting into the parking lot if you aren't a USC.

[mike411 15]

There is nothing you can do and they are legal to require citizenship. I have seen jobs that require your immediate family to be born in the U.S.

Defense contractors do hire green card holders because they are still considered "U.S. Persons". You just have to try different head hunters. The largest defense contractors such as Boeing do not use head hunters, so you will have to search their web site. I would tell them upfront. Why waste time.

Avoiding those direct questions on forms will not help you. They will kick you out when they do a background check 3 months into your employment for not being truthful on the application. Most positions I've seen are conditional to be able to get a security clearance or they will kick you out if you can't.

[aaron2020 11,651]

so i've been approached by head hunters for about 4x now, probably for the same job, for the same client. it's a job in Tucson, AZ for an Application Packager, which what i do back in Japan. i don't know how these head hunters do to really find the right person but for the job boards i have registered, i chose "authorized to work for any employer" as opposed to US Citizen.

so the head hunters were really accommodating until they find out i am not a citizen yet. i asked the last recruiter why don't they even consider GC holders. she said it's a long term job. the contract is actually 6 months with a choice to stay for as long as you want, so i'm just puzzled with the reasoning unless this job really needs security clearances and such (which i doubt).

i am just surprised cuz i thought in Japan i would only be discriminated of being a woman (very traditional Japanese companies normally do not promote women) and coming from the Philippines.

are these job specifications legal and what can i do about it next time?

Generally, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate based on citizenship. However, it is legal for US employers to require US citizenship for certain positions. These US citizens only positions often arise when a government security clearance is required.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

There is nothing you can do and they are legal to require citizenship. I have seen jobs that require your immediate family to be born in the U.S.

Defense contractors do hire green card holders because they are still considered "U.S. Persons". You just have to try different head hunters. The largest defense contractors such as Boeing do not use head hunters, so you will have to search their web site. I would tell them upfront. Why waste time.

Avoiding those direct questions on forms will not help you. They will kick you out when they do a background check 3 months into your employment for not being truthful on the application. Most positions I've seen are conditional to be able to get a security clearance or they will kick you out if you can't.

I have worked in this type of stuff forever and non US citizens are about as common as unicorns. It is way too much hassle to get them cleared to make it worth the trouble unless are the leading expert in their their speciality.

[tokyobelle 2]

that is why i clarified "excluding military jobs." i wasn't trying to tell them i am a US citizen when i am not. but i have found out that the particular job that these recruiters were offering me were specifically for Dept. of Defense when i tried to search it from another job posting site. the recruiters did not tell me who the employer was because it was confidential. but now everytime recruiters offer me jobs with US Citizen requirements, i make it clear that i am not but i ask them if it needs security clearance or anything like that. i tell them if it is not needed then maybe they could see if they could hire someone who's an EAD holder instead.

kinda sucks though because those jobs pay around $50/hr. they seem to have a few candidates around too cuz no matter which state these jobs where in, the recruiters seem to find and ask me if i am interested.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

The problem is if the facility does classified work. It is easier for the company to only have USC's in the facility rather than up the security about every classied bit to account for the presence of non USC's. Do if the company if a degense contracter just consider it off limits until you are a USC no matter what the required clearance is for the task.