A public servant has managed to keep his job despite emailing an entire Federal Government department in a bid to track down a girl he met at a party.

The Department of Immigration employee sent the mass email pleading for someone who knew the woman to contact him, saying she made a strong impression on him at the party and that "life is too short for regret".

"I understand this is not the most appropriate channel. It is not my intent to misuse this email address," he wrote.

"I have struggled to write and send this message. It has taken all of my willpower to do so.

"Life is too short for regret. This phrase I know you all can identify with."

The all-staff email has since gone viral on social media sites.

Department spokesman Sandi Logan says it is a breach of email policy but the man has not lost his job.

"It's clearly an inappropriate use of our email system. It's not a sackable offence, but the matter is currently before the values and conduct branch," he said.

"It would be inappropriate for me to speculate on the outcome of that. It's at the end of the day an inappropriate use of email."

It is unknown whether the employee has been able to contact the girl.