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Migrant influx to Britain hits record high

Nowadays about two million EU citizens work in the UK, the highest level since the country joined the European Union in 1973

LONDON, December 1. /TASS/. The United Kingdom has faced the highest level of immigration, totaling 650,000 people a year, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.

The net migration has been estimated (the difference between immigration and emigration) at 335,000 people per year between June 2015 and June 2016. Over a period of 12 months, 284,000 EU citizens immigrated to the UK, hitting a historical maximum. At least 189,000 EU citizens arrived in the UK for work, 9,000 people up against last year.

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

"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," she said.

"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," White said.

Nowadays, 2.1 million EU citizens work in the UK, the highest level since the country joined the European Union on January 1, 1973.