Skilled migrants from the defence, healthcare, teaching and construction sectors are being prioritised under the latest directive issued by the Home Affairs Minister as the Albanese Government works to reduce Australia’s overall intake of new arrivals. “Australia’s skilled migration program is targeted to support key industries and strategically important occupations that are in the national interest,” the ministerial direction states. “Prioritising skilled migrants in occupations supporting law enforcement and Defence, and in healthcare, teaching, construction with a focus on housing, ensures the skilled migration program is providing the right skills in the right occupations.” “Prioritising skilled migrants already contributing to Australia supports a sensible, measured approach to provide the skilled workers Australia needs,” the document signed on July 24 explains. The Nightly has been told the Government has for several months been “fiddling with the dial” on various migration settings to bring down the Net Overall Migration (NOM) level.