Yvette Cooper is scrambling to reduce net migration (Image: Getty)

       Net migration halved last year to 431,000 – the equivalent of the population of Bristol.

       A crackdown on social care visas and foreign students led to a fall of 435,000, from a staggering 866,000 in the year to December 2023, new figures have revealed.

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       Former Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "This drop is because of the visa rule changes that I put in place.

       "Labour will try to claim credit for these figures but they criticised me at the time, and have failed to fully implement the changes."

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       Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "This huge drop in net migration - dropping by 430,000, or halving - is a big step in the right direction.

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       "This is thanks to measures put in place by the last Conservative Government.

       "But the numbers are still far too high and need to go down a lot further. That is why we need a binding annual immigration cap, set by Parliament - at much, much lower levels

       "But when we Conservatives tabled that plan, Labour voted against it last week and voted against it again yesterday.

       "Only the Conservatives have a serious plan to slash migration a lot further, which the country now needs."

       But analysis published by the Office for National Statistics shows the scale of the crisis facing the Home Office.

       Some 948,000 migrants moved to Britain last year, with 517,000 people leaving.

       This will increase pressure on the NHS, housing stocks, schools and transport infrastructure.

       Reform UK leader Nigel Farage: “Net migration of over 400,000 for Labour’s first year of government. It may not be as high as the great Tory betrayal but it is still disastrous.

       “Only Reform UK will freeze net immigration at zero.”

       The figures have fallen from a record high of 906,000 in June 2023.

       Director of population statistics at the ONS Mary Gregory said: "Our provisional estimates show net migration has almost halved compared with the previous year, driven by falling numbers of people coming to work and study, particularly student dependants. This follows policy changes brought in restricting visa applications.

       "There has also been an increase in emigration over the 12 months to December 2024, especially people leaving who originally came on study visas once pandemic travel restrictions to the UK were eased."

       But they are unlikely to be a welcome boost to the public who are demanding action on immigration.

       READ MORE: Keir Starmer bracing for crunch figures on immigration

       The Cabinet gathered for an emergency press conference on immigration (Image: Getty)

       Reforms introduced by former Home Secretary James Cleverly banned overseas care workers and foreign students from bringing their family members with them to the UK.

       The salary threshold for skilled workers was also increased to ￡38,700.

       Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also vowed to reduce net migration amid a growing electoral threat from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

       Sir Keir, who said the country risks becoming an “island of strangers” without better integration, said he wanted net migration to have fallen “significantly” by the next general election – but refused to set a target number.

       Measures in Labour’s plan, dubbed “Restoring control over the immigration system”, included:

       - Increasing the threshold for the Skilled Worker Visa to graduate-level roles.

       - Revoking visas for foreign thugs, shoplifters and sex offenders as the number of offenders eligible for deportation is expanded.

       - Reforming citizenship rules by making migrants wait 10 years rather than five to apply for indefinite leave to remain, although workers who significantly contribute to society, such as nurses, doctors and engineers, could be fast-tracked.

       - Requiring a higher standard of English across all immigration routes, including, for the first time, adult dependents required to display a basic understanding of the language.

       - Closing the social care visa to foreign workers, amid fears it is being abused as a back door route into the UK.

       The Home Office has predicted its changes will lead to 100,000 fewer people coming to the UK, meaning net migration could settle at around 240,000-250,000 by the end of this Parliament in 2029.

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       Analysis by the British Future think tank had predicted net migration fell by 250,000 following a crackdown on foreign students and social care workers.

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       Sunder Katwala, director of the think tank, said: "Falling net migration is one of Britain's best-kept secrets. Today's ONS figures will show a dramatic fall, by over a quarter of a million, but that will come as a complete surprise to 90 per cent of the public.

       "That's because our political debate on immigration has failed to keep up with reality. Immigration remains high but is much lower than the previous peaks. It will likely fall further. We need a different immigration debate that looks forwards to how we manage the pressures and gains of migration for the economy, infrastructure and public services."