A South African who lost an employment case against her employer has been told to leave the country by Immigration New Zealand.

The agency has revoked Jacqueline Sydow's work permit and has told her to leave by June 11.

Ms Sydow claimed Executive Recruiters International asked her to pay her own taxes and wages to support her residency application.

The Employment Relations Authority ruled that she had no case against her employer. The authority found she was not dismissed and therefore did not have a case for personal grievance.

She has been told to leave because she now has no job.

Her lawyer John Appleby has written to Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman seeking an extension of time to enable her to look for another job.

Immigration New Zealand head Nigel Bickle said: "While we can sympathise with her situation, Ms Sydow's permit was revoked because she was no longer working for the employer specified on her permit and she was therefore in breach of the terms and conditions of that permit."

Mr Bickle said migrants with information about arrangements of such a nature were encouraged to come forward, but the agency could not guarantee immunity from enforcement action.

(Source Lincoln Tan, NZ Herald)