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Former Immigration Service boss Mary Anne Thompson has pleaded guilty to using her CV fraudulently, enabling her to get senior government positions.

Thompson, 54, of Karori, had claimed she had a doctorate from the London School of Economics.

In Wellington District Court this afternoon, Judge Bruce Davidson gave a sentencing indication that Thompson would be fined $10,000 and given 100 hours' community work.

She pleaded guilty before trial, in a deal that saw the three charges she faced reduced to one.

Thompson had worked in senior positions and had been offered promotions, and was therefore not in the same category as those who fraudulently claimed higher qualifications but could not live up to them in the job, the judge said.

Mitigating factors in sentencing would include the significant damage to Thompson's reputation, future career prospects, and finances.

The public scrutiny she had received could be seen as punishment in itself and her future in the public service looked bleak, he said.

Thompson resigned from her senior position in the Labour Department in 2008 after being accused of a conflict of interest for helping her Kiribati relatives to gain residency in New Zealand by ensuring that applications were given preferential treatment.

Thompson was remanded at large till March for sentencing.

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