LinkedIn r_basicprofile only returns current position, not past positions

Question

While it would seem to be a bug, it's always been true that LinkedIn's r_basicprofile API permission only returns the user's current positions, while r_fullprofile returns current and past positions. But with today's announcement that r_fullprofile will require enrollment in LinkedIn's partnership integration program, this difference has a real consequence: Many LinkedIn-integrated sites will no longer be able to get past positions.

My question is to LinkedIn API folks: Is it deliberate that past positions are not returned for r_basicprofile requests? Hopefully not, and hopefully this could be fixed. Alternatively, three_past_positions could be enabled for r_basicprofile... That'd give us something to work with.

If everything is working as intended, and no changes will be forthcoming, how difficult will it be to join the partnership program? Do you foresee many companies and start-ups being able to join?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I think that @JoseR answer was extremely close... the part that was missed was that of within the 'field' description it states:

positions -> An object representing the member's current position https://developer.linkedin.com/docs/fields/basic-profile

so, if the member has ten 'current' positions, it will return ten, but if they only have one, then just one is returned... so, to get the r_fullprofile is your next best option (with application of course)