BDV requests that you live within 1-hour driving distance from your sponsor. Unfortunately, we cannot approve you to start work if your commute time is longer than 1 hour to your worksite.

It is important to remember that the 1-hour commute maximum is based on BDV's vast experience, as well as sponsor expectations. When it comes to commute times, it is crucial to consider not only the daily, but also long-term effects. The time you spend traveling to and from work can greatly impact your overall well-being, job satisfaction, financial health, and working relationship with your sponsor.

1. Work-Life Balance: A long commute, typically an hour or longer each way, can eat into your personal time, leaving you with less opportunity to relax, pursue hobbies, or just spend time outside of work. This imbalance can lead to burnout and exhaustion over time.

2. Health Concerns and Productivity: Long commutes can affect your physical and mental health, by contributing to issues like anxiety, sleep troubles, and even chronic health problems due to sedentary time spent in traffic. Fatigue and stress can make it harder to concentrate and have energy for the tasks needed once you arrive at work.

3. Financial Considerations: Extended commuting can also negatively impact you financially. You should consider your expected wage, because the cost of daily travel (gas and mileage) can add up quickly.

4. Sponsor Relationship: The longer your commute time the more likely your chances of having issues with your scheduling availability, and reliability of getting to work when scheduled. Limited availability and scheduling issues will only lead to frustration and problems for your sponsor, and possible negative repercussions.

5. Long-Distance Travel Complications: In general, U.S. employers discourage long-distance work commutes. Sponsors usually require a local address for new hire paperwork, and it can raise questions, especially with USCIS, if you are living farther from your worksite than expected. Sometimes BDV clients ask us if they can live in their sponsor location during the week and commute back to another city or state for the weekend or days off in order to see family. We highly discourage this because the nature of your Unskilled EB-3 job will require you to be flexible to work any shift and possibly work random days of the week. If you have family living in another location and want to see them regularly, we recommend that you plan for your family to relocate and join you in your sponsor's location.

To support your well-being and ensure a healthy working relationship with your sponsor, BDV does not allow commutes longer than 1 hour from the work site. If you still feel that your situation warrants approval of a longer commute time, please reach out to Client Services and we will review your situation.

Client Services is also here to assist you in finding housing closer to your worksite. Our goal is for you to have the best possible experience of working for your sponsor, and this includes housing and commute time.