Australian Cover Letter Format (Example and Template)
Australian job ads very often name a contact person, invite a call, and attach a position description. The best letters use all three: they name the contact, refer to the conversation if there was one, and answer the position description in order. The format is close to the UK's, but the work-rights line and the selection-criteria system are uniquely Australian.
Australia cover letter layout at a glance
| Length | One A4 page; 3–5 paragraphs, about 250–400 words. |
|---|---|
| Address block | Your name, suburb and state, mobile and email at the top; the date; then the contact's name, title, organisation and address. Mobile numbers in 04xx xxx xxx format. |
| Date format | Day month year: 13 October 2026. |
| Salutation | Dear Ms Nguyen — no full stop after Ms or Mr. Use the contact named in the ad; "Dear Hiring Manager" if none. |
| Sign-off | Yours sincerely or Kind regards, then your full name. |
| Spelling | Australian: organisation, colour, programme or program (program is common in government), licence (noun), enrol. |
| File type | PDF unless the portal asks for Word; many government portals take Word for criteria responses. |
Australian cover letter example (graduate visa, project coordination)
A civil engineering graduate from the Philippines who studied in Brisbane and now holds a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). She spoke to the contact named in the ad before applying, which Australian employers expect and value.
Maria Santos Toowong QLD · 0491 570 156 · maria.santos@email.com
13 October 2026
Ms Linh Nguyen Project Manager Riverbend Civil Pty Ltd Level 4, 88 Creek Street Brisbane QLD 4000
Dear Ms Nguyen,
Thank you for taking my call last Thursday about the Graduate Project Coordinator role (ref. RC-114). You mentioned the team is short of someone who can keep subcontractor paperwork moving on the Logan stormwater upgrade, and I am writing to show how I can do that from the first week.
I finished a Master of Engineering at the University of Queensland in July. During a twelve-week placement with a Gold Coast council contractor I tracked daily site diaries, chased 26 subcontractor safety documents before a council audit, and built a simple Excel register that the site manager kept after I left. Before moving to Australia I worked for two years as a site engineer on drainage works in Cebu, so I understand the field side of the documents I would be coordinating.
The position description lists a White Card and a current driver licence as essential. I hold both, along with a first aid certificate.
I hold a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) with full work rights until March 2028, which you can confirm through VEVO.
I would welcome the chance to discuss the role further. Thank you for your time.
Kind regards, Maria Santos
Why this letter works
- It opens by referring to the phone call — a normal, respected step in Australian applications.
- The position description's essential requirements are answered directly, in its own words.
- The work-rights line names the subclass and expiry, and points to VEVO so the employer can verify it.
- Australian conventions throughout: 04xx mobile, suburb and state, "Kind regards".
Work rights for international applicants in Australia
Australian employers check that you have the right to work, commonly through the Department of Home Affairs' VEVO service. Put a single, verifiable line in the letter: "I am an Australian permanent resident", "I hold a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) with full work rights until [month year]", or "I would require employer sponsorship (subclass 482) for this role." Student visa holders should state their work limitations honestly, since they generally cannot take full-time roles during study periods.
If the ad says "Australian citizens or permanent residents only", and many government and defence roles do, the requirement is usually not negotiable; a letter will not change it. For how to show visa status on the résumé itself, see visa status on a resume.
Key selection criteria: when the letter is not enough
State and local government, universities, hospitals and many not-for-profits list key selection criteria (KSC) in the position description and expect a written response to each. That response is usually a separate document with a heading per criterion and a short example under each, typically structured as Situation, Task, Action, Result. Your cover letter then shrinks to a brief introduction that points to the attached response.
Read the instructions closely. Some ask for a page limit across all criteria, some a word limit per criterion, and some ask you to address the criteria inside the cover letter itself. A strong letter that ignores the criteria format is a common reason capable applicants are screened out.
APS applications: the statement of claims or "pitch"
Australian Public Service agencies publish a job pack with the role's duties and capabilities, and the APSC's guide Cracking the code walks through how to apply. Many APS applications ask for a short statement, often called a "pitch", explaining in a set number of words how your skills and experience match the role, instead of a criterion-by-criterion response. Stick to the stated word limit exactly and use examples that map to the capabilities in the job pack.
Citizenship is a common condition of APS employment, so check the eligibility section of the job pack before writing anything.
Tone and the phone call
Australian business writing is direct and fairly informal, so overly formal openings like "I humbly submit my application" read as odd. Many ads name a contact and invite questions. Calling first is common and, when the call goes well, the best opening line your letter can have. Keep the call short, ask one real question about the role, and mention it in your first sentence.
Your letter points to your résumé, so the résumé has to follow the same country's rules.
Australia cover letter FAQ
What is the correct cover letter format in Australia?
One A4 page, three to five paragraphs, Australian spelling, addressed to the contact in the ad and closed with "Yours sincerely" or "Kind regards". Include one line stating your work rights.
Do I address key selection criteria in my cover letter?
Only if the instructions say so. Usually key selection criteria get a separate response with a heading per criterion, and the cover letter briefly introduces it. Follow the page or word limits in the position description.
What is a pitch in an APS application?
A word-limited statement explaining how your skills and experience match the role, used by many Australian Public Service agencies instead of a full criteria response. The job pack states the limit and what it should cover.
Should I mention my visa in an Australian cover letter?
Yes. State your visa subclass and work rights in one line, with the expiry date if temporary. Employers commonly verify work rights through the Department of Home Affairs' VEVO service.
Should I call the contact person before applying?
If the ad names one and invites questions, yes. A short call with one genuine question about the role is common in Australia and gives you a specific opening line.
Kind regards or Yours sincerely in Australia?
Both are fine. Yours sincerely is slightly more formal and suits government and corporate roles; Kind regards is common everywhere else.
Official sources
- APSC — Cracking the code — How to apply for Australian Public Service jobs.
- Department of Home Affairs — VEVO — How work entitlements are verified.
- Your Career — Australian Government — National careers information service.
More cover letter formats
About this guideThe ApplyVita Career Team — The ApplyVita Career Team builds the resume-scoring and job-matching tools at the core of ApplyVita. Our guidance is grounded in the same four-component ATS rubric our product scores resumes on — content and impact, keyword match, formatting, and skills — and in current recruiter and hiring-manager practice. Every guide is checked against that rubric before it is published, and updated as hiring norms change.