Australia has signed a migrant agreement with the small Pacific nation of Nauru, the government in Canberra announced.
The agreement affects more than 220 migrants in Australia, among them people convicted of serious crimes.
The agreement means that Nauru is responsible for "long-term accommodation for people who do not have legal right to stay in Australia", according to an Australian statement.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald's information, Australia will pay Nauru a multi-billion amount for the pact. Australia has long been looking for ways to deal with migrants who do not have legal right to stay in the country, but who also have nowhere else to go.
The Pacific nation of Nauru, with its 21 square kilometers and 12,500 inhabitants, is one of the world's smallest countries. Extensive mining of phosphate has led to significant environmental destruction and made large parts of the island uninhabitable.
