You have already made your decision to relocate and have obtained all the documents necessary to legalise your stay. It is now time you finally made your departure. How to prepare for a smooth transition overseas to minimise the risk of „culture shock”? Follow the guide below to prepare for a successful departure and estimate the outlays you need to incur immediately after the arrival.
Language: learning the basics
Language problems remain one of the most frequently reported difficulties by those who choose to relocate overseas.
- It is worth learning the basics prior to your arrival in Poland. If you are planning to stay in Poland for a longer period of time, English may turn out insufficient for everyday communication.
- That being said, language schools should meet a growing demand not only for foreign languages among Polish speakers, but also for the Polish language among the expats."
Looking for a flat: on your own or professional advice?
It is not only learning Polish that foreign professionals find challenging as they arrive in Wroclaw.
So, it is worth finding a flat before you arrive in Poland. You will spare a few stressful moments both to yourself and your family. However, looking for a flat on your own (especially if you are yet to arrive) may turn out to be quite difficult, which is why it worth using the services of professional real estate agencies. A lot of ads are available on the Internet free of charge. You may also want to join special groups at social networking sites such as Facebook, as the owners often use them to post their ads directly, without any intermediaries. You should bear in mind that real estate agencies usually charge commission for their services that is tantamount to half or one month's rent. That being said, real estate agencies can provide you with a safety net. Whenever there is a dispute between a landlord and a tenant, the agency may step in to resolve the issue.
What to focus on when signing a lease agreement:
- If the lessee intends to rent the apartment for a larger group of people or is expecting his or her family to arrive any time soon and join them for a longer period of time, the names of all the tenants with their suitable passport numbers should be added to the lease agreement. This is required for your family to obtain a temporary residence permit.
- Additionally, foreign nationals who apply for a residence permit are also required to provide their proof of address, e.g. their current lease/purchase agreement and the document that shows they are residing in Poland legally make them eligible for a temporary residence card, which in turn is prerequisite to obtaining a residence permit.
Renting a flat in Wroclaw
Foreign nationals are increasingly interested in flats for rent. „We mostly work with Ukrainian, Italian, Indian and Spanish nationals. It is usually their Wroclaw employers that contact us on their behalf. We are less likely to work with private individuals.
According to Lidia Dołhan from Wrocławska Giełda Nieruchomości [Wroclaw Real Estate Exchange], foreign professionals usually seek large high-standard apartments with a parking space or small one- or two-bedroom flats.
„The former are usually rented by managers who arrive in Wroclaw with their families”, says Lidia Dołhan. „They usually choose three- or four-bedroom flats that range from 5 to 10 thousand PLN including utilities. 90% of such agreements are signed be their employers. Even though it is usually prospective tenants who view the apartment and decide whether they would like to rent it. Smaller flats are usually rented by regular employees, who seek accommodation on their own.
Centrally located one and two-bedroom flats attract most of our clients. One more important thing is whether they are close to bus or tram stops."
Apartments of this kind range from 1.5 thousand to 2.2 thousand PLN. The prices provided do not include the utilities. Foreign professionals seek flats that are both fully furnished and equipped with household appliances, pots and pans, plates and cutlery.
Bank account
Applying for a bank account is yet another formality that you have to go through if you wish to settle in a new reality. Wroclaw high streets are lined with banks that offer their services to individual clients. You can now open a personal bank account on the Internet. Find out more about most popular personal accounts (as of March 2016):
Foreign nationals must provide a passport and a residence card or any other proof of legal residence in order to open a bank account. If you are student, all you need is a passport and your student card. Our bank provides a special mobile app to provide services 24/7. Foreign clients will like the fact that it is simple and intuitive, and it's also available in English. You can you use it to transfer money overseas, exchange currency at competitive rates and negotiate the rate at any of our branches if you wish to change a large amount of money.
Nurseries and schools
Foreign residents in Wroclaw can send their children to public nurseries and schools (which provide education in Polish) or use the services of private schools and nurseries, with English as the language of instruction. The list of municipal schools and nurseries is available here. The list of international schools in Wroclaw can be found here.
"We've got three sections: a nursery (children between 6 months and 3 years of age), preschool (3 to 6 years) and primary school (7 to 15 years).
