小白的避风塘

Skilled immigration will fall due to the global economic crisis, the federal government says.

"I expect the numbers of our program to drop next year ... as a reaction to the economic circumstances," Immigration Minister Chris Evans told reporters.

Senator Evans said the size of the cut would be a matter for cabinet.

The government was very aware that labour demand would differ across regions and economic sectors.

"It's not a one size fits all."

In Britain the government is hardening immigration laws as unemployment rises amid the financial meltdown.

Non-European Union workers migrating to Britain will, from April, have to hold a masters degree and will have to show they earned a salary of at least $44,000 before moving to the UK.

Despite the pressures on immigration, Senator Evans said the Pacific guest worker program would not be reviewed "at this stage".

However, he did say the government was reconsidering what occupations should be listed on the commonwealth's critical skills list.

The Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union has already called for construction jobs to be cut from the list.

"The critical skills list is under review and that's one of the things we will look at as the circumstances change," Senator Evans said.

"We will probably have a formal look at that in the next couple of weeks."

South Australia's Master Builders Association has warned against such a cut, saying the soon to come infrastructure spending by government meant plenty of workers would be needed in the sector.

Senator Evans' comments came after meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres.

The meeting culminated in the government offering an extra $4.4 million in funding to the body.

Mr Guterres admitted the snowballing economic crisis would not help refugees but praised Australia for taking a bigger role in the issue since Labor's election win, especially for shutting down the Pacific solution.

"We believe things are moving in the right direction," Mr Guterres said.