Master prompt
Cover letter — Australian employer-sponsored work visa (482 / 186 / 187 / 494)
Cover letter for employer-sponsored skilled visas: ANZSCO occupation, salary AMSR / TSMIT, nomination + employer rationale, applicant fit narrative.
AustraliaSubclass 482Subclass 186Subclass 187Subclass 494Employer-sponsoredANZSCOTSMIT
Draft a cover letter from [CLIENT_NAME] in support of their application for subclass [VISA_SUBCLASS] (Australia), sponsored by [EMPLOYER_NAME] for the role [ROLE_TITLE] (ANZSCO [ANZSCO_CODE]) at [EMPLOYER_LOCATION].
CONTEXT
- Applicant: [CLIENT_NAME], currently [CURRENT_LOCATION]
- Sponsor: [EMPLOYER_NAME]
- Stream (482 only): n/a
- Nominated salary: [ANNUAL_SALARY_AUD] excluding superannuation
- Skills assessment: [QUALIFICATIONS]
- Relevant experience: [PRIOR_EXPERIENCE]
- Employer fit: [WHY_THIS_EMPLOYER]
LENGTH: 600-900 words. Structured. First-person. Formal but warm.
§1 — LETTERHEAD + ADDRESSING
Top-of-letter:
- Applicant's full address (current — [CURRENT_LOCATION])
- Date
- Addressed to: "The Decision Maker / Department of Home Affairs /
Skilled Visa Processing"
- Subject line: "Application for subclass [VISA_SUBCLASS] — [CLIENT_NAME] —
Nominated by [EMPLOYER_NAME] — ANZSCO [ANZSCO_CODE]"
- Application TRN / ImmiAccount reference (mark [VERIFY] if not yet
assigned at draft stage)
§2 — OPENING PARAGRAPH (4-5 sentences)
Identify the applicant, the visa being applied for, the sponsor, and the
nominated role. State the visa criterion being satisfied:
"I, [CLIENT_NAME], respectfully submit this application for the
subclass [VISA_SUBCLASS] visa under section 29 of the Migration Act
1958 and clause [482/186/187/494].212 of Schedule 2 to the Migration
Regulations 1994. I have been nominated by [EMPLOYER_NAME] (ABN
[VERIFY]) for the role of [ROLE_TITLE], classified under ANZSCO
occupation code [ANZSCO_CODE]. The nomination has been [lodged /
approved on DD-MMM-YYYY, Nomination ID [VERIFY]]."
§3 — OCCUPATION + SALARY (the AMSR / TSMIT compliance section)
Two paragraphs. Officer concerns to address:
Paragraph A — Occupation fit
Quote ANZSCO [ANZSCO_CODE] official title. Confirm the role description
in the nomination matches the ANZSCO description for at least 60% of
duties. Cross-reference to applicant's skills assessment outcome by
the relevant authority (ACS for IT, Engineers Australia for engineers,
VETASSESS for general professional / managerial, AHPRA for health, etc).
State: "My skills assessment from [BODY] dated [DATE] confirms my
qualifications and experience are suitable for [ANZSCO_CODE]."
Paragraph B — Salary compliance
For subclass 482 (post-Dec-2023 reforms):
- Specialist Skills stream: salary must be at least AUD 135,000
(Specialist Skills Income Threshold, indexed each 1-Jul)
- Core Skills stream: salary must be at least AUD 73,150 (Core
Skills Income Threshold, current 2025-26 indexation — [VERIFY])
- Must also meet Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) — i.e. comparable
Australian-worker rate for the same role + location
For subclass 186 / 187 / 494: AMSR + TSMIT (legacy AUD 73,150) apply
State [ANNUAL_SALARY_AUD] and confirm it meets the applicable
threshold for [VISA_SUBCLASS] / n/a.
§4 — EXPERIENCE NARRATIVE (the "I am the right hire" section)
This is the longest section (~200-250 words). Three sub-paragraphs:
Sub-paragraph A — Career progression
Quote [PRIOR_EXPERIENCE] as a linear timeline. Show seniority
progression. For each role: employer, dates, title, scope of
responsibility, team size, technologies / domains.
Sub-paragraph B — Specific transferable skills
What concrete skills make the applicant immediately productive in
[ROLE_TITLE]? Use the language of the position description in the
nomination, not generic competencies. If the nominated PD says
"Lead architecture decisions for distributed payment ledgers" then
the applicant's SOP says "I led architecture for the UPI 2.0
settlement ledger handling 8 million daily transactions at HDFC".
Sub-paragraph C — Why this employer (quote [WHY_THIS_EMPLOYER])
Specific to [EMPLOYER_NAME]. Not generic ("great company culture").
Concrete reasons: product, team, technical reputation, specific
leaders, conferences they sponsor, OSS contributions, etc.
§5 — REGIONAL / LOCATION DECLARATION (if applicable)
If [VISA_SUBCLASS] is 187 (legacy) or 494 (regional):
- Identify the regional postcode of [EMPLOYER_LOCATION]
- Confirm the role is genuinely located in the regional area (not a
head office in Sydney/Melbourne with "regional" badge)
- State commitment to live and work in the designated regional area
for the full visa period (2 years minimum on 494 before pathway
to 191 PR)
If [VISA_SUBCLASS] is 186:
- Direct Entry stream: state the 3-year skilled-occupation experience
and current positive skills assessment
- Temporary Residence Transition stream: state at least 2 years on
the existing 457/482 with the same employer / nominated occupation
§6 — COMPLIANCE + CHARACTER
One short paragraph addressing:
- Compliance with all prior Australian visa conditions (if onshore)
- No PIC 4020 issues (no prior refusal, no false / misleading info)
- No PIC 4001 character concerns
- Health waiver applicability under PIC 4007 (state if relevant —
typically not in healthy adult applicants)
- Awareness of Schedule 8 conditions attaching to the relevant subclass
§7 — CLOSING
Two short paragraphs:
Para A — Thank the decision-maker, restate readiness to start the role
in [EMPLOYER_LOCATION] on [VERIFY-START-DATE], commitment to maintain
the sponsored employment for the visa period.
Para B — Declaration:
"I declare the information provided in this letter and across the
application is true and correct. I authorise [REPRESENTATIVE_NAME],
MARA Registration Number [VERIFY], to act as my authorised
recipient (Form 956A enclosed). I am available for interview at
any time convenient to the Department.
Yours faithfully,
[CLIENT_NAME]
Signature: _____________
Date: _____________
[CURRENT_LOCATION]"
§8 — ENCLOSURES INDEX (final section of the letter)
Lettered list of supporting documents enclosed with the application:
A. Passport bio page
B. Skills assessment outcome ([BODY], dated [DATE])
C. Educational qualifications + transcripts (apostilled / notarised)
D. Employment evidence (offer letters, reference letters, payslips,
tax returns) for each role in [PRIOR_EXPERIENCE]
E. English-language evidence (IELTS / PTE / OET / TOEFL — note IELTS
6.0 overall for most 482, 6.0/5/5/5 minimums per skill for 186 DE)
F. Form 80 — Personal particulars (character)
G. Form 1221 — Additional personal particulars
H. Form 956A — Authorised agent
I. Police clearances (Indian PCC + any country resident 12+ months
in last 10 years)
J. Health examination (501 / 502 / 707 — typically e-Medical via
Bupa or Bupa-equivalent panel)
K. Sponsorship + nomination evidence (sponsor's ABN, nomination ID,
approved nomination letter if pre-approved)
CONSULTANT RED-FLAG CHECKLIST (do not include in client letter)
□ Salary below applicable threshold (Specialist Skills / Core Skills
/ TSMIT) → refusal under cl.[XYZ].224
□ ANZSCO occupation mismatch with role description in nomination →
refusal under cl.[XYZ].223
□ AMSR not benchmarked (e.g. no Australian market salary comparison
documented) → nomination refusal
□ Employer sponsorship not approved at time of application (482) /
not Standard Business Sponsor status
□ Skills assessment expired (most are valid 3 years)
□ English score below subclass minimum
□ Health waiver not requested where required (significant cost burden
cases)
□ Genuine Position Test — does the role genuinely exist or is it a
"made for the applicant" position? Officer scrutiny rising 2024-26.
End with: "DRAFT cover letter — for MARA-registered migration agent review. Verify against current Home Affairs Skilled Visa guidance, ANZSCO description, and applicable salary thresholds before submission. Not legal advice."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt