- but new arrivals increase to half a million
Emigration from recession-hit Britain reached a record level last year.
But the number of foreigners living here still increased by 700 each day, new figures show.
Some 427,000 people left the UK, up from 341,000 in 2007. They included 172,000 Britons starting a new life in countries such as Australia, Spain and France.
Polish men scan the job ads in a shop window in Hammersmith, west London. Many Polish workers are now heading home, new figures show
But statisticians said the bulk of the rise was due to tens of thousands of foreign workers returning home as jobs dried up.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the number of non-Britons leaving the country leapt by 50 per cent from 169,000 to 255,000. Many were Poles who arrived after the expansion of the EU in 2004.
The total number of Eastern Europeans leaving the UK more than doubled from 25,000 to 69,000 between 2007 and 2008.
At the same time 505,000 foreign nationals - or 1,380 every day - arrived for an extended stay of 12 months or more. This easily outstripped the number leaving and meant that the number of foreigners living in the UK went up by 251,000 or 700 every day.
Overall net immigration - the number of arrivals minus the number of departures, regardless of nationality - was 163,000, 70,000 down on 2007.
Home Office Minister Phil Woolas said the figures showed immigrants were coming here to work and then returning home. He claimed the Government's new points-based work permit system was taking effect.
But critics said the fall in net immigration was almost entirely due to many more Eastern Europeans going home than arriving - and the Government has no control over people from most of the newer EU members.
They also warned that, on yesterday's figures, the UK's population would still reach 70million within 20 years.
Tory immigration spokesman Damian Green said: 'Yet another of Gordon Brown's soundbites has proved to be false. This government has created British jobs for foreign workers.
'Ministers should apologise for the years in which they have given us a chaotic immigration system with numbers coming in at levels which put unacceptable pressure on public services.
'To make the points-based system effective, we need an annual limit, as well as much more effective measures against those who abuse the loopholes in, for example, the student visa system.'
MPs Frank Field and Nicholas Soames, who chair the cross-party balanced migration group in Parliament, said Government policies were having little or no effect on immigration.
A YouGov poll for the think-tank Migrationwatch UK found that 72 per cent of people want net immigration slashed to 50,000 or fewer.
Other figures released yesterday showed that the number of people granted settlement - the route to British citizenship - between July and September this year was 49,555, 38 per cent up on the same period in 2008.
Police may use military-style unmanned aircraft to fight illegal immigration and drug smuggling. The drones, like those used to spot enemies in Afghanistan, would patrol the coastline or keep watch on suspect ships.
BAE Systems said yesterday it was working with Essex and Kent police as part of the South Coast Partnership, which also includes the UK Border Agency.
Emigration from recession-hit Britain reached a record level last year.
But the number of foreigners living here still increased by 700 each day, new figures show.
Some 427,000 people left the UK, up from 341,000 in 2007. They included 172,000 Britons starting a new life in countries such as Australia, Spain and France.
Polish men scan the job ads in a shop window in Hammersmith, west London. Many Polish workers are now heading home, new figures showBut statisticians said the bulk of the rise was due to tens of thousands of foreign workers returning home as jobs dried up.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the number of non-Britons leaving the country leapt by 50 per cent from 169,000 to 255,000. Many were Poles who arrived after the expansion of the EU in 2004.
The total number of Eastern Europeans leaving the UK more than doubled from 25,000 to 69,000 between 2007 and 2008.
At the same time 505,000 foreign nationals - or 1,380 every day - arrived for an extended stay of 12 months or more. This easily outstripped the number leaving and meant that the number of foreigners living in the UK went up by 251,000 or 700 every day.
Overall net immigration - the number of arrivals minus the number of departures, regardless of nationality - was 163,000, 70,000 down on 2007.
Home Office Minister Phil Woolas said the figures showed immigrants were coming here to work and then returning home. He claimed the Government's new points-based work permit system was taking effect.
But critics said the fall in net immigration was almost entirely due to many more Eastern Europeans going home than arriving - and the Government has no control over people from most of the newer EU members.
They also warned that, on yesterday's figures, the UK's population would still reach 70million within 20 years.
Tory immigration spokesman Damian Green said: 'Yet another of Gordon Brown's soundbites has proved to be false. This government has created British jobs for foreign workers.
'Ministers should apologise for the years in which they have given us a chaotic immigration system with numbers coming in at levels which put unacceptable pressure on public services.
'To make the points-based system effective, we need an annual limit, as well as much more effective measures against those who abuse the loopholes in, for example, the student visa system.'
MPs Frank Field and Nicholas Soames, who chair the cross-party balanced migration group in Parliament, said Government policies were having little or no effect on immigration.
A YouGov poll for the think-tank Migrationwatch UK found that 72 per cent of people want net immigration slashed to 50,000 or fewer.
Other figures released yesterday showed that the number of people granted settlement - the route to British citizenship - between July and September this year was 49,555, 38 per cent up on the same period in 2008.
Police may use military-style unmanned aircraft to fight illegal immigration and drug smuggling. The drones, like those used to spot enemies in Afghanistan, would patrol the coastline or keep watch on suspect ships.
BAE Systems said yesterday it was working with Essex and Kent police as part of the South Coast Partnership, which also includes the UK Border Agency.
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