Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

AussieStart ("we", "us") is operated by Berkant Yazgan, Projensdorfer Straße 81a, 24106 Kiel, Germany. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and German data protection law (BDSG).

The supervisory authority responsible for AussieStart is: Unabhängiges Landeszentrum für Datenschutz Schleswig-Holstein (ULD), Holstenstraße 98, 24103 Kiel.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Registration

Full name, email address, password (hashed), nationality, country of residence, phone number (optional).

2.2 Identity Verification

Government-issued ID documents (passport, driver's licence, national ID) for identity verification purposes. These are processed securely and not stored longer than necessary.

2.3 Profile Information

Bio, skills, work experience, education, languages, LinkedIn URL, visa status, profile photo — all provided voluntarily.

2.4 Subscription & Payment Data

Subscription plan, billing cycle, payment history. Payment card details are processed by Stripe Payments Europe Ltd and are never stored on our servers.

2.5 Usage Information

Job applications, accommodation bookings, saved items, community posts, messages, and interactions with the Platform.

2.6 Technical Information

IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referral URLs, and page visit timestamps — collected via server logs and cookies.

3. How We Use Your Information

4. Payment Information

Payment processing is handled by Stripe Payments Europe, Ltd. (a PCI-DSS Level 1 certified processor). We receive only a transaction token and basic metadata — never your full card number, CVV, or bank details.

Email communications are sent via Sendinblue / Brevo (an EU-based email processor). We store only your email address and communication preferences with Brevo.

Platform hosting is provided by MC-Host24 on servers located in Germany.

5. Information Sharing

5.1 With Other Users

When you apply for a job, your cover letter, resume, and profile information are shared with the relevant employer. When you submit a booking request, your name and contact details are shared with the accommodation provider.

5.2 With Service Providers

We share data with: Stripe Payments Europe (payment processing), Sendinblue/Brevo (email delivery), MC-Host24 (hosting), Tawk.to (live chat support). All processors are bound by Data Processing Agreements.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose data if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of AussieStart and its users.

5.4 We Never Sell Your Data

AussieStart does not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes.

6. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Account data is deleted within 30 days of account deletion requests. Payment records are retained for 10 years under German tax law (§ 147 AO). Log files are deleted after 90 days.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access — Request a copy of the data we hold about you
• Right to rectification — Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure — Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restriction — Limit how we process your data
• Right to portability — Receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to object — Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent — Withdraw consent for any consent-based processing at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@aussiestart.com. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the ULD Schleswig-Holstein.

7a. How to Delete Your Account

You can delete your AussieStart account and all associated personal data at any time through one of the following methods:

1. In-app (recommended): Log in and go to Settings → Privacy & Account → Delete My Account. Confirmation requires entering your password. Deletion is scheduled and completes within 30 days, during which you may cancel the request.
2. By email: Send a request to privacy@aussiestart.com from the email address associated with your account.

What gets deleted: Account profile, name, contact details, profile photo, job applications, accommodation bookings, saved items, community posts, messages, ratings, and reviews.

What is retained (legal obligation): Payment records and invoices for 10 years under German tax law (§ 147 AO). All retained data is pseudonymised — your name is replaced with "Deleted User" once retention is no longer linked to your active account.

Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone after the 30-day grace period.

7b. AussieStart Android App & Mobile Permissions

The AussieStart Android app is a Trusted Web Activity (TWA) — a thin native wrapper that displays the same content and functionality as our website aussiestart.com. All data processing described in this Privacy Policy applies identically to the app.

The app may request the following Android permissions:

• Notifications (POST_NOTIFICATIONS) — to deliver push notifications about job applications, messages, booking updates, and platform announcements. You may decline this permission or revoke it at any time in your device settings; the app remains fully functional without it.
• Location (ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION / ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION) — optional, only used when you actively opt in to find jobs or accommodation near your current location. We do not track your location in the background, and location data is processed only in your browser session — it is not stored on our servers unless you explicitly add a location to your profile.
• Internet (INTERNET) — required to communicate with our servers.

The app does not access your camera, microphone, contacts, SMS, call logs, files outside its own storage, or installed-apps list. Photo uploads (e.g. profile picture, accommodation photos) are initiated by you via the Android file picker — we only receive the file you select.

The app does not contain advertising SDKs, third-party analytics SDKs, or fingerprinting libraries. It does not collect or share unique device identifiers beyond what is required for push-notification delivery.

8. Cookies

We use strictly necessary cookies for session management and authentication (PHP session cookies). These are essential for the Platform to function and do not require consent under GDPR.

We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics cookies.

9. Children's Privacy

AussieStart is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we discover that a minor has created an account, it will be deleted promptly.

10. Policy Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify registered users of significant changes via email. Continued use of the Platform after notification constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

For privacy enquiries or to exercise your rights:

AussieStart — Data Controller
Berkant Yazgan
Projensdorfer Straße 81a, 24106 Kiel, Germany
Email: privacy@aussiestart.com

Supervisory Authority: Unabhängiges Landeszentrum für Datenschutz Schleswig-Holstein (ULD), Holstenstraße 98, 24103 Kiel · datenschutzzentrum.de