MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -U.S. and Mexican officials have agreed a plan for Venezuelan migrants that will enable thousands of people from the South American country to enter the United States by air and also send some Venezuelans to Mexico, Mexico's government said Wednesday.

The latest scheme to manage higher border flows was launched as the United States and Mexico attempt to deal with a sharp increase in undocumented immigration from Venezuela.

It will be based on the "Uniting for Ukraine" program, according to a Mexican government statement, under which Ukrainians could enter the United States by securing a sponsor and applying from outside the country.

From Oct. 12, U.S. authorities will begin managing access of 24,000 Venezuelan migrants by air, the statement added.

Mexico would "temporarily" allow some Venezuelan nationals to enter Mexico through the U.S. border, the statement said.

Under the plan, only applicants who comply with its rules will be accepted, and they must not appear at the U.S.-Mexico border, it added. Venezuelans who enter Mexico from Oct. 12 will not be able to apply to enter U.S. territory from Mexico.

To qualify for the program, a person or organization based in the United States must support the applicant's request, and they would enter U.S. territory by air, the statement said.

(Reporting by Dave Graham and Daina Beth Solomon; editing by Stephen Eisenhammer)

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