In his strongest indication yet that he is looking to send refugees to Cambodia, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has warned that the right to resettlement is not a ticket to a better life in a first world country.

His warning has followed recent visits by Mr Morrison and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to Cambodia, and has fuelled speculation the Abbott government is in negotiations to send asylum seekers on Nauru who are found to be refugees, to the developing country.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison Credit:James Alcock

Mr Morrison said resettlement was about sending people to places where they would be free from persecution.

"I just don't buy into this argument that only first world countries are able to participate in resettlement," he told Sky News.