Sir Keir Starmer is set to begin talks with other countries on hosting "return hubs" for failed asylum seekers.
During a trip to Albania on Thursday, the Prime Minister announced that the Government would begin exploring the possibility of processing some migrants in third countries prior to deportation.
It comes in the same week that the number of people making the journey across the Channel in small boats passed 12,000, putting 2025 on course to be a record year for crossings.
The nations involved in the discussions have not yet been revealed.
It is understood that officials will begin conducting negotiations with potential host countries over the coming months. Italy currently operates a similar scheme with Albania, but the programme has been held up by legal action.
The UK is in talks with "a number of countries about return hubs", Sir Keir said.
The Prime Minister would not say which countries the UK was in talks with, but added: "At the appropriate time, I'll be able to give you further details in relation to it."
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama suggested his country was not open to hosting UK return hubs.
"We have been asked by several countries if we were open to it, and we said no, because we are loyal to the marriage with Italy and the rest is just love," he told reporters in Tirana.
Overnight Downing Street confirmed that the UK will announce greater co-operation with Albania in tackling the people trafficking gangs facilitating the small boat crossings to the UK from France.
The Joint Migration Task Force with Albania and Kosovo will be extended to include North Macedonia and Montenegro, in a bid to frustrate migration routes through the Balkans.
Sir Keir said establishing return hubs would not be a "silver bullet" for halting the small boat crossings.
But combined with other measures to tackle gangs and return those with no right to be in the UK, it would "allow us to bear down on this vile trade and make sure that we stop those people crossing the Channel".
If established, the return hubs will target failed asylum seekers who are seeking to delay deportation or have lost their paperwork.
By removing them to another country, the Home Office hopes to reduce their ability to find other reasons to prevent being forced to leave Britain, such as starting a family.
The plan differs from the previous Conservatives government's Rwanda scheme as it would only apply to failed asylum seekers who have exhausted avenues for appeal.
While in Tirana, the Prime Minister is also expected to announce further cooperation with Albania on tackling illegal migration and organised crime alongside his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama.
This is set to include plans to help ensure returned migrants stay in Albania rather than try to enter Britain again - the so-called "revolving door problem".
Migration is also likely to feature during talks at the European Political Community summit in the city on Friday, along with discussion of defence and Ukraine.
