Following suggestions from friends, he moved to regional South Australia for work and with small saving could open a restaurant in Naracoorte , a town of just 6,000 people near the Victorian border.
His Indian-style cuisine has made a big impact in the town.
People like Alannah Johnson have been getting work experience at the Pearl Indian Cuisine restaurant.
Mr Ullah says the lower cost of doing business in a regional area makes his venture more viable.
Jenny Stirling, of the Australian Migrant Resource Centre at Naracoorte, says he has worked to create a second family, of sorts, out of the local community.
Mr Ullah helps train young business students in his restaurant and is a member of the local rotary club.
Just a few years ago, Hafeez Ullah was one of those job-seekers. But now, as the Mayor of the town Erika Vickery, he's one of the town's employers
