Nov. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Australian and Sri Lankan officials discussed bringing unskilled migrant workers to Australia as a tactic to reduce the number of people traveling to the nation by boat seeking asylum, the Australian newspaper reported.

Sri Lanka’s Immigration Commissioner P.B. Abeykoon raised the plan with Australian immigration officials, the newspaper said, citing an interview with Abeykoon.

A spokesman for Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans said Australia doesn’t run an unskilled migration program, the newspaper reported.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah McDonald in Sydney at smcdonald23@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 4, 2009 16:03 EST