BBC America will adapt Cordell Jigsaw's documentary series Go Back To Where You Came From.
It marks the first time SBS has signed a deal with a major US broadcaster.
"It's rare for a televiison format to be able to break new ground using an issue that's a political hot button worldwide," said SBS managing director Michael Ebeid. "The high level of interest from both international broadcasters and production companies is testament to the compelling nature of the format."
The series, which aired last year during Refugee Week, followed six people as they experienced situations faced by real asylum seekers on a daily basis, including travelling in a leaky boat and living in a refugee camp. It was SBS's highest rating program last year.
Production companies and broadcasters in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and South Africa have also signed on to produce local versions of the show.