Australia will accept several dozen Central American refugees within the next few months, two sources familiar with the process have told Reuters.
These will be the first transfers under a controversial refugee swap arrangement agreed with the United States.
Canberra pledged to take an unspecified number of Central American refugees under a deal struck with former US President Barack Obama late last year.
In exchange, Washington said it would accept up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in Australian immigration centres on Manus Island and Nauru.
Around 30 refugees from El Salvador currently held in Costa Rica will move to Australia in the next couple of months, the sources said, with a second group of a similar size to follow shortly afterwards.
"The group have been vetted and will likely move in the (northern hemisphere) fall," said one source, who was not authorised to speak to media about the arrangements.
A spokesman for Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton declined to comment.
The transfer of the Salvadoran refugees to Australia will focus attention on US steps to uphold its end of the agreement, described by President Donald Trump as a "dumb deal" for America.
None of the refugees on Manus or Nauru - mostly men from the Middle East and South Asia - have been approved to move to the US yet.
There are about 200 refugees in Costa Rica as part of a programme set up by former President Obama last year for people deemed too vulnerable to remain in their Central American homelands.
Once vetted for criminal associations, including gangs, they are eligible for resettlement in the US, while others can be transferred to third countries as part of a United Nations scheme.
The Trump administration has said it would honour the swap agreement to maintain its strong relationship with Australia, subject to the refugees satisfying strict vetting checks.
Reuters
