Official figures from the Home Office and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that immigration increased by one fifth last year – boosted by the influx of foreign students being allowed into the country.

196,000 more people entered Britain than left it last year, compared with a net migration of 163,000 in 2008.

The figures mean that under Labour’s power (since 1997), three million foreign national were added to the British population.

Meanwhile, separate figures showed that student visas have shot up by a third – bringing the fear that the immigration route is being exploited as a loophole in the system for both legal and illegal immigration.

The overall number of migrants allowed to remain in the country on a permanent basis also increased by a third, while asylums granted (4,190) hit their highest level since 2003.

In total, 567,000 people migrated to Britain last year, while just 371,000 emigrated.

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