Immigration to UK reaches record high as number of EU nationals given right to live in Britain permanently doubles

Some 650,000 people arrived in the country in the year to the end of June; the highest number on record.

This figure of people entering the UK over 12 months - which mainly covers a period before the EU referendum as well as a week after - included a record 284,000 EU citizens, suggesting some people might be arriving in Britain ahead of any restrictions the UK Government might impose following the Brexit vote.

Net migration - the overall difference between the numbers arriving and leaving the country - was at a near record of 335,000, well above the UK Government's controversial target of less than 100,000.

It was also revealed that in 2015 Romania was the most common country of last residence for the first time, making up 10 per cent of immigrants.

Nicola White, of the Office for National Statistics, said: "Net migration remains around record levels but it is stable compared with recent years.

"Immigration levels are now among the highest estimates recorded; the inflow of EU citizens is also at historically high levels and similar to the inflow of non-EU citizens.

"There were also increases in the number of asylum seekers and refugees. Immigration of Bulgarian and Romanian citizens continues the upward trend seen over the last few years and in 2015 Romania was the most common country of previous residence," she explained.

Ms White said it was too early to say what effect the referendum had had on long-term international migration, noting: "There does not, however, appear to have been any significant impact during the run-up to the vote."

She added the main reason people were coming to the UK was for work. There has been a "significant increase" in numbers looking for employment, particularly from the EU.

In the year ending in June, 189,000 EU citizens arrived for work; the highest estimate recorded.

About 57 per cent or 108,000 of those reported having a definite job to go to while around 82,000 arrived looking for work; a record number and a "statistically significant" increase on the previous year.

The jump includes a rise in the number of citizens arriving to seek employment from the rest of the EU15 group of nations - Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain and Sweden.

Statisticians suggested the rise may in part reflect "weaker labour market conditions" in some southern EU states.

Data published today also showed:

*in the year ending in June, non-EU net migration was 196,000, similar to the previous year;

*the number of people immigrating for more than 12 months to study was estimated to be 163,000 - a statistically significant reduction and

*the number of national insurance registrations in the year ending in September was 629,000 for EU citizens and 195,000 for non-EU citizens, with both showing a fall from the previous year.

The net migration figures prompted fresh scrutiny of the Tories' objective to reduce the number to five figures.

Alp Mehmet, vice chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "Even if net migration was brought down to 265,000 a year, the UK population would still be growing at half a million a year, every year for the next 10 years. That is the equivalent to another five Birminghams. This is unacceptable to most of the British public."

Saira Grant, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, accused the Government of creating "counter-productive immigration policies designed to make life extremely uncomfortable for migrants" driven by a "fixation on the ill-judged net migration target".

For the Government, Robert Goodwill, the Immigration minister, said: "The British people have sent a very clear message that they want more control of immigration and we are committed to getting net migration down to sustainable levels in the tens of thousands.

"There is no consent for uncontrolled immigration, which puts pressure on schools, hospitals and public services. That is why reducing the number of migrants coming to the UK will be a key priority of our negotiations to leave the EU."

Theresa May's spokeswoman said the Government's ambition was still to reduce net migration below 100,000.

Asked how long it would take, she replied: "The Government has been clear that we are committed to reducing migration to sustainable levels, but that it's going to take time."

Meantime, the figures also showed the number of European nationals and their family members given certificates confirming their right to live in the UK permanently has doubled in a year.

The total of 37,638 documents certifying permanent residence were granted to citizens of the European Economic Area{EEA] and relatives in the year to September compared to 18,713 in the previous 12 months.

EU citizens who have lived continuously in the UK for at least five years automatically have a permanent right to live in Britain.

People from countries in the EEA - EU states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - plus Swiss nationals can apply for a document which confirms their right of permanent residence in the UK. Family members of EEA citizens can also apply for a permanent residence card.

The latest Home Office figures show there were almost 14,500 grants of documents and cards in the three months from July - just after the EU referendum.

This was the highest quarterly tally since the current data set started in 2006, and more than triple the number in the equivalent three months last year.

Analysts said that, despite the increases, overall grants still made up only a small share of all EEA nationals living in the UK, which stood at more than 3.5 million at the start of this year.

The Government has been warned it faces a huge administrative task if it attempts to document all of the EU migrants living in Britain at the time of Brexit.

Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said: "The increase in permanent residence grants suggests that EU citizens are increasingly keen to nail down a secure legal status in the wake of the referendum vote. But these figures are really just the tip of the iceberg.

"The vast majority of EU citizens living in the UK have not yet applied. Finding a process that will allow EU citizens to receive residence documents quickly and efficiently will be one of the major challenges the Home Office faces as it prepares for Brexit."