Sydney
Arriving from Bulgaria to Australia
Welcome to Australia! Or if you're still planning to come over - see you soon!
This page combines some information, which may be useful to newly arrived Bulgarians or the ones, looking to know what to expect when they arrive. We tried to combine the answers of some of the questions which most of us had when we immigrated here with links and references to services which we found useful when we were still finding it all new to us. Our goal is to make it easier to all new members of our Bulgarian community here, so that they establish themselves into the life which they plan for themselves. You can count on us for support. For any additional questions or requests - feel free to contact us at bgau@rodinasydney.org.au
In this page, you can find information about:
Your Visa status
A good way to choose between the visa options is from the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs Visa Options Finder.
Your Work opportunities
If you are recently arrived and you are looking for work, you might face few common obstacles:
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The employers often look at your visa status and if it is not a permanent one, they are not so willing to hire you.
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They often ask you to have "local experience" even when applying on your first position in the country.
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Your English speaking and writing level of skill may be of importance for certain kind of jobs. No one will mind your accent, though.
As a solution to the above or in case you find yourself in a hard position financially, feel free to contact any of the companies in our Bulgarian Businesses Yellow Pages list. They might not be able to hire you themselves, but for sure they can guide you with a industry-specific advice. The Bulgarian community here may not be with many members, but most of us do care about you. Please, feel free to reach out.
Your Living arrangements
Choosing where in NSW to live will reflect on many aspects of your daily life. You might be tempted to hire a place near the beaches or the touristic areas, but you will be spending more on rent there. Sydney is an beautiful city and one of the most famous touristic attractions might be just in front of your door. It does take some time to adapt from your encounter with the amazing views and surroundings. After some time, deciding whether you are having the mindset of a tourist or a local may change your choice of things to consider while moving homes. Have in mind that here the suburbs are of different types - some are residential, some are industrial, some are for office buildings, some are shopping areas. You may enjoy living in a residential one the most. A good source of information while comparing suburbs is the Sydney Suburbs Reviews website.
Popular sites with offers for renting are Domain, Real estate and Gumtree.
Your Transport options
A good way to plan your trip with public transport is the Opal Card's Trip Planner.
Make sure that you have some idea how the fees are calculated. There are some discounts in certain situations. Here you can find more.
Your Administration and documents requirements
There are few government institutions that you may find useful:
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Service NSW can provide you with a driver's license. You can also use your Bulgarian one here, for a while.
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My gov is a site that combines several services. It is useful, in case you want to log in in all of them with the same credentials.