If you are looking for jobs in Canada, you must know what questions the employer can ask & what he cannot. Well, it can be exciting when you finally land a job interview upon arriving in Canada. This is specifically true if you are on a tight budget or have people you need to support economically. 

This kind of situation implies that newcomers looking for jobs in Canada are often in a vulnerable position where they might overlook their rights to get employment. However, in the long term, you might find a better employer if you know your rights. 

Every Canadian province & territory has an office that deals with employment & labor laws. And this is the reason why they must adhere to the Canada Human Rights Act. 

Employers Cannot Discriminate 

In Canada, the Human Rights Act outlines that no one can be discriminated against based on race, place of origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, family status, financial situation, etc.   

An effective way to avoid discrimination while job hunting is to ensure that you do not include any personal information on your CV, like living arrangements, marital status, age, etc. Moreover, these aren’t typically included on a resume in Canada. Employers can evaluate applicants solely on professional qualifications, like work experience, educational background, etc. 

In addition, in a job interview, you must only ask questions about the job you are interviewing for. The Ontario Human Rights Commission recommends before beginning with the interviews, the companies must create a list of questions with desired answers & rank applicants accordingly to limit bias & discrimination. 

Instances Of Illegal Questions 

The Canada Human Resources Commission highlights some of the illegal questions regarding different jobs in Canada. Take a look!

  • Citizenship 

To begin with, a potential employer cannot ask or inquire about your birth country or primary language. However, they are allowed to ask if you are authorized to work in Canada & if you are fluent in a second language other than the one you are being interviewed in.

  • Age 

Employers cannot ask your age or your birthday. However, in some nations, including age in a resume is quite normal, but omitting it can help avoid creating bias. The only thing the employer needs is that you are of legal age to work. They can do so by asking if you are between the ages of 18 – 64. 

  • Your Health 

Employers cannot ask you about your weight, health, or height. This includes any questions about disabilities. An employer cannot ask about any physical/ mental disabilities & must make the maximum efforts to accommodate an applicant to ensure they do not have any disadvantages throughout the interview process. Well, instead, they might highlight some of the routine tasks you would need to perform & ask if you can complete them and how would to do so!

  • Questions Regarding Your Family/ Marital Status

It is very inappropriate for an interviewer to ask anyone about their marital status, who they live with, whether they have children, & childcare arrangements. These questions can result in discrimination based on gender/ sexual orientation. 

An integral aspect from a business perspective is that employees can work the hours they have agreed upon or do overtime if necessary. You do not need to disclose your family obligations. 

Moreover, you don’t need to tell a potential employer if you are pregnant. You cannot be denied the employment offer if you can demonstrate that you are an eligible applicant. In case you disclose a pregnancy upon being hired, you cannot be laid off or fired because of it.

  • Religion 

When recruiting for different jobs in Canada, a potential employer cannot ask you about your faith or religion. However, they can ask if you are available to work at a specific time/ day of the week. Again, you do not need to tell the employer why you aren’t available. 

How To Handle Illegal Questions 

You can refuse to answer the illegal questions. In addition, you can simply say that you aren’t comfortable answering the question. You can even counter-question them by asking how the answer would be relevant to the position. Most employers will back down & change the subject. But this can create tension in the interview & might result in you not getting the job. 

Moreover, if an interviewer asks about your nationality, use that opportunity to refer to any international experience you have, giving the employer a competitive advantage.