I say this every time this comes up, but while it should work perfectly, the reality is that people will always scam for what they want. Remember back when we had state-specific hiring bids? Half the applicants figured out that they would get hired quicker if they selected states with more facilities, so they did that then immediately started whining about wanting to transfer back home. Even among the trainees from the N90 local bid (where you were required to live within a 50 mile radius), approximately half of them have absolutely no interest in being on the island and just coasted until failing out of the labs to get their multi-page NEST list. You want local hiring to actually work? You gotta eliminate every possibility of transferring before finishing that commitment. Wash out? Sorry, no NEST for you - you're instantly fired. Child has a debilitating illness that requires you to move closer to a doctor? Guess you gotta quit. Obviously NATCA would never agree to eliminate hardships, nor should they. But as long as those exist as a possibility, those commitments aren't worth the paper they're printed on.