The chief executive of Tonga's Ministry of Information, Paula Ma'u, said a thousand have registered for repatriation, while a thousand stranded seasonal workers are being registered by the Ministry of Internal affairs.
The first repatriation flight for 50 Tongans was being planned from New Zealand next month and Mr Ma'u said a second could take place 14 days after the first.
But he said at one flight a fortnight it could take years to repatriate everybody.
