Is it Legal to Ask for Birthplace on Job Application?

Question

I am filling out a form to work for a gov't agency and it is asking me to write in my birthplace.

I was also once applying for a private sector job and again, it asked me to fill in birthplace.

I know it is illegal to ask these questions during interviews, but what about on application forms? Can they do that?

What if a person (US citizen) was born in Iraq, Russia, North Korea, Iran, etc?

I thought it was illegal to ask those questions.

Answer 1

I am applying for a health professional position in Australia, am a full Australian Citizen and entitled to work in Australia, been in the country for over 15 years. Two major hospitals ask for: whether you are a permanent citizen/citizenship, then go on to ask for country of birth, then go on  to ask when you arrived in Australia and how old you were??? If it was just to confirm ones entitlement to work legally in a country, isn't it sufficient to ask for whether one has Australian citizenship and can legally work in Australia? I don't see how my country of birth is relevant to all of this. It is a touchy subject for me, becuase I was born in Afghanistan....now, you can imagine, I would undoubtly be subject to a lot of bias. Funny thing is, I am more qualified than any of the white, blue eyed candidates they interview instead. It annoys the heck out of me:(