The Australian government has more than halved its list of skills, occupations and professions for its skilled migration programme.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans unveiled the new list which has been cut from 400 preferred skills, professions and occupations to just 181.

Hairdressers and chefs are among the skills dropped from the list, which accounted for 5,000 of the 41,000 general skilled visas granted in 2007-2008, three-quarters of whom had studied at Australian universities.

Senator Evans said the new list was part of an ongoing response by the Rudd government to decouple the link between education and immigration.

"Australia's migration program cannot be determined by the courses studied by international students," he said.

The new list was developed by Skills Australia, an independent body, and will be updated annually. To view the full list of new skills, professions and occupations, click here.