Number of UK immigrants up by 22%

The number of foreigners settling in the UK rose by more than a fifth last year, figures show.

A total of 237,890 people were granted settlement in the UK in 2010, a rise of 22% compared with 194,780 in the previous year - similar to the record high of 238,950, set in the 12 months to September 30 last year.

The number leaving the UK, either voluntarily or through enforced removals, fell to 57,085, the lowest in five years and 15% down on 2009, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Of those granted settlement, the number of asylum-related cases increased by almost two-thirds to 5,125, compared with 3,110 in 2009.

And the number of work-related cases was also up, rising 4% to 84,370 compared with 81,185 the previous year.

The quarterly immigration figures also showed while the number of foreigners given UK passports was down 4% to 195,130, the figure remained higher than that seen in the years 2005 to 2007, the ONS said.

A total of 334,815 student visas were issued last year, down 2% on 2009, and asylum applications also fell to their lowest in eight years, down by more than a quarter to 17,790 last year, compared with 24,485 in 2009 and 84,130 in 2002.

Immigration Minister Damian Green said: "These statistics reinforce once again why we are radically reforming the immigration system to bring net migration down to the tens of thousands by the end of this Parliament.

"We will continue to exert steady downward pressure to ensure those who come and make a positive contribution to our society are welcomed, those who have no right to be here are refused and those who break our rules are removed.

"We have already introduced an annual limit on economic migration and throughout 2011 will be proposing tighter restrictions on student, marriage and settlement routes which have in the past been subject to widespread abuse."

Net migration continues to rise, reaching 226,000 in the year ending June 2010, provisional ONS estimates for long-term international migration showed.

A total of 572,000 people came in to the UK, with only 346,000 leaving.

Other figures showed India was the most popular foreign country of birth for people in the UK in the 12 months to June 2010, making up about 678,000 of the population.

Poland was second most popular (520,000), followed by Pakistan (421,000), the Republic of Ireland (398,000) and Germany (292).