The government has agreed to pay for repatriation flights for stranded immigrants who cannot afford to buy tickets to their home countries.

The Department of Internal Affairs and the Red Cross will first assess whether temporary visa holders can fund their own return travel, or if their embassy will assist.

The Association for Migration and Investment estimates that 7000 people may take up the offer.

They include workers who have lost their jobs and visitors whose funds have dried up.

More to come...