Your Guide to Work Authorization and Citizenship in Resumes

Should you include citizenship on your resume?

What is “citizenship” in resumes? When citizenship is in a resume, it’s generally a succinct mention in a job seeker’s contact details and only included when absolutely necessary.

When are you required to include citizenship on your resume? Here’s a quick list of occasions where it may be necessary:

• When applying for government roles
• When applying for job positions that require security clearance
• When job seekers have a large amount of international experience

The first two points relate to actual laws, while the third is primarily tied to clarification. Candidates who primarily work outside the country will have a resume filled with international experience, which may lead the recruiter to believe they aren’t authorized to work in the US. However, there are better ways to clear up this confusion, which we’ll discuss later.

Most private-sector jobs in the U.S. don’t require citizenship. Adding this information may even introduce confusion and bias in the recruitment process, so it’s best to omit it. We recommend you focus on explaining your hard and soft skills and qualifications over personal details to give the hiring manager the information they need to make the right decision.

Where to put citizenship on resumes

If you do need to list it, it’s best to use a citizenship in resume example for reference. This ensures you provide your details concisely and don’t add too much information.

Here’s a sample citizenship in a resume, within the contact details:

Understanding legal considerations

You generally don’t need to list citizenship, meaning in resumes, this information may seem a bit forced or introduce the potential for biases. However, this legally cannot affect your candidacy due to Equal Employment Opportunity laws.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EE) laws protect job seekers against potential discrimination based on citizenship and nationality. This makes it illegal for employers to reject candidates or ask them about certain factors, like nationality, gender, and age, except under specific legal circumstances.

While you are protected legally, we recommend omitting nationality on resumes unless it’s a strict requirement. This detail could distract employers or introduce unconscious bias, which are judgments made without the person’s conscious knowledge.

Alternative ways to address work authorization

Are you considering adding your citizenship so the employer knows you’re eligible to work in their country? There are better ways to do that.

Job seekers who have extensive experience outside their target country may worry the recruiter will dismiss their application, believing the candidate isn’t authorized to work in the right area. Clarify your eligibility with one of these concise phrases:

These phrases tell the employer everything they need to know without divulging unnecessary details. Every worker who’s eligible to work in the U.S. can use them, including:

Where do you list these phrases? Depending on the resume template you use, you can write them in your contact information, resume summary or in an Addition Information section. You can also include them in your cover letter if you don’t have space in your resume.

“You generally don’t need to list citizenship, meaning in resumes, this information may seem a bit forced or introduce the potential for biases.”

Tailoring a resume for international candidates

If you’re an international candidate, there are a few things to consider before writing your resume. 

First, research the role and company. Thoroughly read the job description and make sure you meet the requirements of the position. Most roles don’t require citizenship, so a visa or green card will be enough.

If the job ad isn’t clear, we highly recommend reaching out to the hiring manager for additional information and clarification. It’s best to be sure before continuing, and often, employers are impressed you took the time to ask.

For more complex situations when it isn’t clear what to do, it’s a good idea to reach out to local career services or professional resume writers for guidance. 

If you don’t live in the same area, should you put “willing to relocate” on a resume? Absolutely. This significantly increases your chances of securing an interview when recruiters know your location isn’t an issue.

Remember that, while important, your authorization is just a small detail, and your professional experience, education, and skills should be the highlight of your resume.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

To finish up, let’s cover a few common pitfalls of listing work authorization and citizenship on resumes. Use our tips and avoid these mistakes to write a powerful, informative resume.

Here are the most common issues:

• Listing unnecessary information: Omit irrelevant personal details that may lead to bias, including nationality, age, and religion. This information not only damages your candidacy but may make U.S. employers uncomfortable due to the regulations they follow.
• Providing misleading claims: Never include misleading or false claims regarding your work authorization. Be honest and only list the work authorizations you currently possess.
• Using confusing terminology: Stick to common, succinct phrases to avoid confusion. Simple phrases like “Authorized to work in the U.S.” are short and to the point, ensuring recruiters can understand your intent and quickly move on to the rest of your resume.
• Highlighting authorization over qualifications: While this detail is important to include, never let work authorization overshadow your professional qualifications, such as skills and experience.
• Failing to address sponsorship needs: If you require visa sponsorship, be clear and upfront. Include a phrase such as “Requires U.S. sponsorship for employment” so the employer understands your needs.

For more best practices and advice, check out our resume samples and review realistic examples of concise, informative job applications.

Stop and think before including citizenship in resumes

Listing citizenship in resumes is rarely needed, so take your time and read the job description to make sure it’s required before you include it. Unless you’re applying for government jobs, it’s safe to say you can likely omit it.

If you’re simply interested in listing your work authorization, list a short, concise phrase, leaving out any personal details. Understand your employment rights under EEO laws, only include relevant information, and focus on your professional qualifications.

Take our actionable tips and start building a clean, informative application with CVwizard’s resume maker. Use our simple interface to add a small phrase in your contact details or create a new Additional Information section in just a few clicks.