Papua New Guinea's prime minister believes refugees will fall in love with his country just like all the Australian expats who never want to leave.
Peter O'Neill expects his government will be in a position to offer refugees proper resettlement and work rights by year's end.
About 130 are in limbo at a transit centre on Manus Island.
Resettlement arrangements have been in the pipeline for more than two years.
Mr O'Neill played down potential safety concerns and his country's high rates of violence and crime.
He insisted his people would be accepting of more foreigners.
"There's a lot of Australians who live among us who never want to go back to Australia," Mr O'Neill told AAP in Port Moresby.
"So you can take it from that and be rest assured (refugees) will be welcomed."
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