NET migration to the UK has dipped slightly but it remains near record levels and more than three times over the UK Government's controversial target, official figures show today.

The measure - the difference between the number of people arriving in the country and leaving - stood at an estimated 327,000 in the year ending in March, the Office for National Statistics[ONS] said in the first figures published since the public voted for Britain to leave the European Union.

This was a slight fall, of 9,000, compared with the previous 12 months and also 7,000 lower than the level recorded for the year to December.

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Robert Goodwill, the immigration minister, insisted that getting the number of migrants down would be a UK Government “priority” in the future Brexit talks.

The figure of 327,000 of long-term international migrants – those who come to Britain for at least a year - is the third highest on record, and will mean the spotlight falls once again on former Prime Minister David Cameron’s “no ifs no buts” promise to reduce net migration to below 100,000.

The latest official figure showed that in the year ending in March, net migration for EU citizens was estimated at 180,000; down on 184,000 for the previous year.

Statisticians said the change resulted from a fall in net migration of citizens from eight central and eastern European countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic which joined the bloc in 2004.

This partially offset net migration of Romanians and Bulgarians, which is now estimated to be at the record level of 61,000. Restrictions on people from the two countries working in the UK were lifted in January 2014.

Net migration of citizens from other EU nations remained similar to the previous year at 78,000.

Nicola White, head of international migration statistics at the ONS, said: "Net migration remains at record levels although the recent trend is broadly flat."

She added: "The influx of Romanians and Bulgarians has also reached a new high, although that's offset by falls in non-EU immigration and from other central and eastern European countries.

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"Work remains the main reason for migration, followed by study, which has seen a significant fall in the number of people coming to the UK for education.

"It's important to remember that these figures only go up to the end of March and do not cover the period following the UK's vote to leave the European Union."

Immigration - just those arriving - was estimated at 633,000, one of the highest recorded levels. The peak was 644,000.

Immigration of EU citizens remains lower than that of those from outside the union (282,000), although the gap has narrowed in recent years.

Non-EU net migration in the latest period was 190,000, compared with 200,000 in the previous year.

The figures also showed there were 631,000 National Insurance number registrations by EU nationals in the year to June - a fall year-on-year, but more than 200,000 higher than two years ago.

A wide gap between the figures on NI numbers - needed by anyone wanting to work - and long-term migration levels was at the centre of a row earlier this year.

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However, statisticians say NI numbers include short-term migrants and the two sets of figures should not be directly compared.

It was also revealed that long-term immigration of overseas students fell by 28,000 in a year to 164,000, the lowest estimate for more than eight years.

Sunder Katwala, director of think-tank British Future, said: "When the net migration figures and the target remain so far apart, it's no surprise the public has lost confidence in the Government's competence on immigration.

"Theresa May will want to get away from the quarterly embarrassment of the net migration statistics now that she's Prime Minister.

"The Brexit decision does offer her a 'reset moment' on immigration, as major policy changes are inevitable," he added.

Meantime, Mr Goodwill said: "Reducing the number of migrants coming to the UK will be a priority for the negotiations to leave the EU.

"We are also committed to reducing non-EU migration across all visa routes in order to bring net migration down to sustainable levels as soon as possible."

He said Government reforms "are working" but added: "There is no doubt there is far more to do. We will build on this to deliver an immigration system which works in the best interests of the country."