Tamer Zeki and Anna Haselboeck in Austria with Tamer’s parents (Image: Tamer Zeki/SWNS)
A Brit who submitted applications for « 1,000 jobs » across the UK without success has relocated to a remote Austrian village home to just 400 residents. Tamer Zeki, 29, made the move to his girlfriend Anna Haselboeck’s hometown after exhausting opportunities in London’s data analytics sector.
In stark contrast to the UK, both secured employment within weeks – Anna after three interviews, who then arranged a position for Tamer as well. Despite occasionally feeling isolated in the Lower Austrian town, which boasts just one road and one restaurant, Tamer is thoroughly enjoying his new role.
He’s also managing to save considerably, with weekly outgoings up to 50% lower and a three-bedroom flat costing half that of a one-bedroom London property.
Tamer, a digital orthodontic technician, said: « I was trying to get into the data analytics field; I was applying for job after job. I must have applied for 1,000 jobs in London and only had four interviews.
« At the same time, Anna was looking for jobs in Austria and in about three weeks she’d had three interviews and a job offer. Anna was chatting to her family dentist about our situation and he told her he had a job for both of us.
Tamer Zeki and Anna Haselboeck in Australia (Image: Tamer Zeki/SWNS)
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« I thought ‘let’s go for it’ and that’s how I ended up in Austria. I moved to Anna’s hometown in Lower Austria. It’s so remote that there are only 400 inhabitants.
« It’s been a really good experience for me, I love my work, I love the nature and the silence. I love being able to live with Anna.
« But it can get very lonely and isolating. Even when you go outside for a walk, you don’t see anyone. »
Anna said: « I find it so crazy how competitive the UK job market is. It was so easy for me to find a job in Austria and there would be only two to three applicants for each job. When Tam was applying for jobs in the UK, there would be 5,000 applicants. »
Following completion of a three-month data analytics course, Tamer began submitting applications within the sector. Yet despite sending off 1,000 job applications, he remained unsuccessful.
Tamer Zeki and Anna Haselboeck in Austria (Image: Tamer Zeki/SWNS)
Meanwhile, Anna was pursuing opportunities in Austria, which is just over two hours by plane from London, and within three weeks had landed three interviews and received a job offer. During a routine appointment, Anna mentioned to her family dentist that the pair were both seeking employment.
« He told her he had a job for both of us at the health centre, as the clinic was expanding, » Tamer said.
The pair had been maintaining a long-distance relationship whilst travelling the globe together, making the job offer an ideal chance for them to finally share a home.
« We were a bit unsure how things were going to work out long term, with me being in England and her being in Austria, » Tamer said. « Anna was going to come to England at one point, but after Brexit, it was so hard to get a visa. It was much easier for me to get a visa for Austria, especially as I already had a job lined up. »
Tamer relocated to Lower Austria in April 2025, making his home in a quaint town of merely 400 residents where Anna was raised. The town, nestled within a forest, boasts a single road and one restaurant, managed by Anna’s parents.
Anna’s parents reside above the restaurant but also own another property nearby, which they’ve allowed Anna and Tamer to occupy at a reduced rent. They’ve also explored local flats near their workplace, with a three-bedroom flat priced at £800 per month, a stark contrast to the £1,300 one-bedroom flats Tamer had been considering in London.
The pair manage to economise on groceries, with their weekly expenditure amounting to £50, compared to Tamer’s previous weekly outlay of £100 in London. However, any trips to the cinema or coffee outings necessitate a 25-minute drive, leading them to primarily spend their leisure time walking or watching football on television.
Tamer is employed as a digital orthodontic technician, whilst Anna serves as an office manager at the same health centre. The diminutive town is a world away from Tamer’s native London, but having previously journeyed to remote global locations, he has adjusted well to his new surroundings.
Nonetheless, he conceded that it can occasionally feel rather « lonely » when the couple embark on a walk and encounter no one else.
Tamer Zeki and Anna Haselboeck in Cambodia (Image: Tamer Zeki/SWNS)
« I miss my family and I miss my cat », he confessed. « My sister just had kids and I’d love to be around them more, as an uncle. »
Tamer further revealed that another challenge of relocating to Austria has been the language barrier, admitting he often resorts to sign language to converse with colleagues.
« I must have done four or five months of lessons, and I’m not really making a breakthrough », he confessed.
Nonetheless, despite these hurdles, Tamer and Anna are content in their secluded home, with Tamer intending to extend his visa when necessary. They share their journey on @tamandanna.
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