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The collapse of Japan's biggest English language school chain has left 200 New Zealanders marooned there without jobs, many without enough money for a flight home.
The New Zealand Embassy in Japan said it had received a steady flow of calls from New Zealand teachers starting to experience financial problems.
Many of the workers employed at the Nova schools had not been paid for months as the company struggled to stay afloat, the embassy told Radio New Zealand.
It is advising those in financial difficulties to contact the company's regional offices, or seek assistance from their bank, insurance company, family or friends.
The Australian Embassy said Qantas would offer reduced airfares for a limited time to Australian Nova employees wanting to return home.
The embassy would also provide a list of English-speaking lawyers for those seeking legal help, it said.
On Friday, Nova dismissed co-founder Nozomu Sahashi and filed for protection from creditors with the Osaka District Court.
Nova's total debts are estimated at 43.9 billion yen ($500 million), the Tokyo-based Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.
The company was founded in 1981 and relentlessly expanded, working towards its goal of 1000 schools nationwide.
Nova now has 300,000 students at about 670 schools, staffed by a total of 4900 non-Japanese instructors and other employees.
In June, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry ordered Nova to suspend for six months its soliciting and signing up of new customers for contracts of one year or longer.
Once the news got out, Nova was swamped with demands to have contracts cancelled.
Sales plunged, and the company became unable to refund students' pre-paid tuition fees and charges.
Wage payments for instructors and employees were delayed, and the company was forced to close many schools.
Students have paid out about 40 billion yen in pre-paid tuition.
Under Japanese company law, payments of unpaid wages and taxes have a higher priority than repayment of tuition fees.
As a result, students who paid their entire tuition fees in cash in one lump sum are unlikely to get a full refund.
Administrators appointed by the court to Nova said they would try to find a sponsor for the company within a month.
If that failed, bankruptcy proceedings would follow.
Mr Sahashi's whereabouts are not known, according to the newspaper.
- NZPA
