IMMIGRATION to the UK has reached a record level as the inflow of EU citizens hit an historic high.

Official figures also showed the number of European nationals and their family members given certificates confirming their right to live in Britain permanently has doubled in a year to almost 38,000.

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

READ MORE: Chancellor Philip Hammond dashes First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's hope of Scottish Brexit deal

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 it was too early to say what effect the EU 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.

READ MORE: Chancellor Philip Hammond dashes First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's hope of Scottish Brexit deal

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.

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 but admitted it was “going to take time" to achieve.

Diane Abbott for Labour said: “The Tories made a promise to the British people on net migration that they knew they could never keep, eroding public trust. But rather than learn from her mistakes as Home Secretary, Theresa May now seems committed to repeating them.”

READ MORE: Chancellor Philip Hammond dashes First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's hope of Scottish Brexit deal

Stuart McDonald, the SNP’s Immigration spokesman, called on the PM to end her “dangerous obsession” with the Tories’ net migration target and noted how on Monday he and his Nationalist colleagues would use Home Office questions in the Commons to “push for a distinct immigration system for Scotland, following the Scottish Affairs Committee’s calls for devolution of immigration powers”.