Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has welcomed an announcement by the United States that it will accept 54 refugees from Manus Island and Nauru under the agreement struck last year with Barack Obama.

The first group of refugees to be resettled in the US will be told in coming days. More are expected to be accepted in the near future under the agreement for about 1250 people to go to the US from both islands.

US President Donald Trump slammed the "dumb deal" when he took office, but agreed to honour it. Credit:AP

"This is good news," Mr Turnbull told Channel 7 on Wednesday morning. "There will be about 25 from both Manus and Nauru [who] will be going to the United States. I just want to thank, again, President Trump for continuing with that arrangement."

A US State Department official confirmed a "first group" of 54 refugees had been approved and would travel to the US in coming weeks, and more should be resettled in coming months.