Unable to send proposals due to location criteria.

[94907b76]

while applying to jobs on iphone or ipad, a prompt shows up saying i dont meet the location criteria but can still submit proposals. However, the send for _ connects button remains greyed out. when trying to do the same on desktop, the top of the page reads "You can't submit a proposal if you don't meet the Location criteria." I have previously never had a problem submitting to jobs with a preferred location criteria.

[AndreaG]

Hi Taimoor,

Could you please send the link to the job post you're unable to submit a proposal to? I'll check if I can replicate this on my end.

[da08115f]

Hi Andrea

I'm having this problem as well. I had one yesterday but unfortunately didn't save that link. But I just tried applying to this job and wasn't abble to. 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

Similar to the above comment, I've applied for (and recived) many contracts where I didn't initially qualify due to location. 

[AveryO]

Hi Monica, 

Does this happen to just the job you shared, or does it happen to most jobs? Have you tried basic troubleshooting steps such as clearing your cookies or using a different browser to see if the issue persists?

[jeremiah-brown]

I am having this problem as well.  

Job link:  https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~013c98c91702a63f9e

[fe4161df]

Hi, Taimoor. It's well known that employers (clients) can filter the applications by location, language level, or specific skills. Sometimes you'll be able to send your proposal anyway. Sometimes, you can't. I strongly recommend that read all the details in the job post (check the right panel too).

[romanchavez]

I keep gettting "

You do not meet all the client's preferred qualifications

You can't submit a proposal if you don't meet the Location criteria."

This is silly I travel all the time for work. This makes no sence. 

[ArjayM]

Hi Roman,

I certainly understand your concern and situation. Does this happen to just a particular job, or does it happen to most jobs you're trying to send proposals to? If so, can you please try clearing your cache and cookies or use a different browser? Let me know if the issue persists and we'll look further into that for you.

[jeremiah-brown]

I cleared my cookies and cache and it still happens.  Its like someone changed the settings so that the client preferences actually prevent you from submitting a proposal

After clear and restart

[matthewearl]

I am also running into the same issue, it seems to have happened recently. In the past, the prefered qualification of another TZ (even when I'm in the USA) was something that was just warned against, now it is outright banning me from applying to any job that has a TZ listed as a preference.

This is a major issue since I can't apply for any jobs even one hour outside of my TZ. There have been several job opportunities that have been unobtainable because of this in the last few days.

I have attempted 3 different devices, and a job that I generally would have been able to appy for now says the same as what other people have posted. "You can't submit a proposal if you don't meet the Location criteria". I have never seen that notification until recently.

The jobs that I apply to generally don't require the client and I to be in the same TZ to begin with, they've just sometimes selected a TZ because their form prompts them to select one.

Has a new setting been enacted on the Upwork side of things, where instead of it being a warning, it is now an automatic denial? 

[PradeepH]

Hi Matthew,

Thank you for your message. Could you please confirm if you are unable to apply to a specific job only or all jobs that do not meet the location preferences of the client? 

Thank you,

Pradeep

[matthewearl]

Hi Pradeep,

All jobs that have a Preferred qualification of "Location: (Different Time Zone)" give the "You can't submit a proposal if you don't meet the Location criteria" error, and grey out the "Send for x Connects" button.
I've run in to at least 4 of them just today. Again, it's very detrimental to both Freelancers and Clients if neither are able to connect over a couple hours difference.

I understand if the job is location specific if the freelancer needs to be on-site, and that has never been an issue when that blocks the submission. I've recently seen that a few "Clean up" efforts have been made around contracts?
Potentially Timezones were eroneously placed into the absolute "Location Preference" instead of it's own more fluid "Timezone Preference" in a recent update?

Thank you for looking into it.

[PradeepH]

Hi Matthew,

Thank you for your message. I'll have one of our customer support agents reach out to you directly and assist you further.

Thank you,

Pradeep

[sullivanliz]

Can we please get some answers about whether this is intended behaviour or a bug?

[jeremiah-brown]

I agree.  I have landed work from several clients who listed different locations and time zones in their preferences.  They saw more value in hiring me than to continue trying to find that perfect person who lives around the corner.

If Upwork is changing this so that freelancers can no longer apply to postings with preferences listed, they would certainly be shortchanging everyone.  I hope this isnt the case!

[sullivanliz]

Exactly! Only one or two of my current clients are in my timezone. I rarely work 'normal' hours so timezones are pretty irrelevant to me anyway. If this is a new 'feature', it's very worrying. Hopefully it's just a bug to do with some cosmetic change or other, but it would be great to hear that from someone who knows...

[the-right-writer]

I'm guessing this is a "feature" based on Upwork's behavior in the past.

[hope4thefuture]

Happening to me as well as of 2 days ago. As a traveling freelancer and also work from home this has ruined a few opportunities for me to work outside my location on a few proposals I wanted to apply for 

[jeremiah-brown]

I agree.  I am currently trying to submit a proposal to a client that has an excellent opportunity I can fill.  This client also has very little response from freelancers due to the spcificity of the project to be completed and the equipment that is required to do it.

[jeremiah-brown]

Any updates on this??

[5437acea]

Hello there, I'm curious about Upwork latest changing without even notify us. I'm US based Freelancer from Wexford. PA whenever I submitted proposal without time zone compatibilty upwork allowed us now suddenly Upwork restricted US Freelancer if you don't match the criteria like Time and State location then you can't allow to send proposal I tried tons of time but still show same error!
Here is the Job link **Edited for Community Guidelines** client preference CST zone but I'm working EST so can you fix this bug or if it implement by from your side so please turn off this feature because I loose tons of client because of this crap! I'm an active Freelancer and I have 4 kids so how would I support them? I'm using Opera browser and also remove cache and history but it still shows same bug.
Kindly do let me know the solution I'm frustrated!
Thanks

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[jeremiah-brown]

If Upwork did this intentionally, they are making a huge mistake.

The worst part is that everyone keeps asking about this issue and Upwork is not answering whether it is intentional or a glitch.  

[5437acea]

It appears to be done on purpose because this feature could benefit the client rather than us. So I'm asking all freelancers to raise their voices until Upwork strips away this feature.

[the-right-writer]

If we are as successful as we have been with getting Upwork to remove the contact information from job ads or make the Boolean filter larger, absolutely nothing will happen. I do not think this is a bug. I think it is another "feature" Upwork throws out with no thought of the chaos and disruption to the freelancer's ability to work.

[ArjayM]

Hi Dear Members,

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and trouble this issue may have you. Our technical team is aware of this issue and working towards a resolution. We will surely keep this thread posted whenever we receive updates or once it's been resolved. We seek your patience and utmost understanding while sorting this out for you. Thank you!

[5437acea]

I'm 100%  sure it was a bug anyway kindly resolve this issue in this weekend!

[gina-herrera]

It's now been 3 days of this issue, is there any update on when this bug will be resolved...? 

[9f2e2aca]

I dont believe the problem has been clearly stated.  I am a licensed architect professional in several states and the recent change no longer enables me to offer my services to those clients who select a location “preference”.   A ‘preference’ is misleading to clients posting jobs if it is actually a ‘restriction” . Upwork is highly focused on remote client-freelancer connections. My licensing in several states is the idea type of freelance for Upwork, however Upwork now restricts this degree of ‘remote’ freelancing.

While clients are creating job posts for professionals who are licensed in their state, they are tagging their location own location preference but not realizing the implications built into the Upwork system.  This is inadvertently restricting clients from connecting with freelancer who can actually perform the professional services in their state.

[6125ff0c]

It appears that there is a new algorithm for job postings that keeps freelancers from submitting proposals for postings for which the 'preferred location' doesn't match the freelancers location.  This is VERY restrictive in the US and possibly other countries since our experience has been that most clients really mean 'preferred' not 'required'.  Many of our clients were happy to work with someone outside their preferred location as long as we were able to communicate in the 'shared' hours between our time zones.  This has already resulted in cutting our proposals by 2/3.

I think I understand the intent of the change, to maybe filter the total number of 'superfluous' proposals to clients, but if that is true, the client portal needs to use the term 'REQUIRED' rather than 'Preferred' and the restrictive result of this choice needs to be clear to clients.

[bb7664d6]

Hello,

This is my first time posting in the forums here so apologies if the location is in the wrong spot.

Does anyone else get mildly frustrated when they're not allowed to apply for **remote** gigs becuase the preferred location doesn't match my timezone?

If the timezone change is only 2 hours of (PST to Central) I think it's silly that qualified freelancers aren't allowed to bid for it. I have clients on the east coast that I wake up early for anyways - I'm more than capable of serving clients in the central timezone.

I've also worked with clients in South Korea and Kuwait before. Sometimes that meant I was taking meetings at 3am. If that's something I want to do, I should be allowed to do it. Free market mentality - let us work how we'd like.

Thanks,
Jack

[6125ff0c]

Thank you, Arjay.  Any updates yet?

[ArjayM]

Hi Richard and Jenna,

As Valeria posted earlier today, the team has identified the root cause of this bug and the fix is on its way. We'll surely update this thread once it's been fixed. We seek your patience and utmost understanding while we're getting this issue resolved. Thank you! 

[08c40eb4]

Hi Arjay, this is a problem I have been experiencing multiple times over the last couple days. Is there any way to know if this is a new change, or just a glitch? Thanks.

[jeremiah-brown]

Upwork - many freelancers have noted problems associated with submitting proposals to job postings that have location and time zone preferences.  

Have you identified whether this is a glitch or a website update/change?  

Many of us apply to these postings and establish contracts with these clients.  Although a client lists a preference, these same clients frequently establish a contract with freelancer's who do not meet this requirement.  I can only assume that in many cases the client simply does not want to go through the hassle of changing the job posting to widen their search, or maybe a freelancer who is a perfect fit is more of an impulse decision point overriding their location/time zone preferences - resulting in a job to contract conversion.

Could we please have an explanation as to what is going on here?  Likewise, if I missed a post where this was addressed, could you please direct me and other freelancers to it?

Thanks!

[romanchavez]

I have been having this problem.  With Photography we literally travel all the time. Especially living in the East Coast when states are relatively close. They don't understand what they're doing, blocking out freelancers from doing this. This is what they told me in a email. It's really frustrating too because we pay for bids on here, I should build a bit on whatever when I'm paying for it.

"

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[jeremiah-brown]

I would like to know why Upwork seems to be avoiding this issue.  That may not be the case, but that is the impression that I am getting from their actions (lack of public response).

So what if a client lists a "preference"?  Theres nothing wrong with telling freelancers that you prefer someone in the same time zone or local area.  It tells the freelancer that you are more likely to be hired if you meet this requirement.

What it does not say - that the client will ONLY hire people from this time zone or location.

If time zone and location is that important, why even bother posting a job on a global job platform?  Kind of defeats the purpose and idea of remote hiring and working.  

I also wonder how many clients go through the process of posting a job and check the location/time zone requirements thinking that Upwork just wants to sort their results with the closest matches first and other location/time zone options last?  There is a lot of ambiguity when asking someone for a "preference".  I would "prefer" to drive a Ferrari everyday. but my "want" isn't necessarily my "need" and I recognize that at some point I may need to compromise with myself in order to get a job done.

I would like to hear Upwork justify this change with a little more substance than "our engineer did this".  Yes, we understand that your engineer did it, but WHY?

[romanchavez]

Here is how silly this is.

If you live in Jersey City you cannot bid on a job in Manhattan. 400 miles away in Buffalo New York You can bid on the job because it's "New York". Since i'm in Manhattan, I can't bid on a job in Jersey City because it's" New Jersey". It's literally separated by a river. Upwork this is not how the East Coast works.

[romanchavez]

This is what they told me at first **Edited for Community Guidelines**

No they are telling me somthing else

[jeremiah-brown]

I agree.  

Out of all the possible explanations, the browser cookie/cache files might be a reasonable explanation.  The problem, however, is that clearing them and performing a restart of the computer did not solve the issue.  This has also been tried by other freelancers.  

[romanchavez]

Its really odd. Cause they had my try it from the app as well. It was still blocked. It's either a glitch or its a new policy that they're implementing. Weird thing is if you try to do it from the app, it says you can bid on the job you're just not their preference.