That is down from 285,000 in 2017 but still above the Government’s target of 100,000.

But experts said more skilled workers such as doctors, nurses, finance and insurance workers moved to Britain from outside the bloc.

Madeleine Sumption, of Oxford University’s Migration Observatory, said: “Brexit doesn’t seem to have put off non-EU migrants. The UK continues to be a top destination for international students and skilled workers from outside the EU.”

Gerwyn Davies, of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said: “The removal of highly skilled doctors and nurses from the cap has clearly helped drive the increase of non-EU migrant workers.

“This is also reflected by the sharp increase in the inflow of Indian nationals that have come to live and work in the UK.

“It also seems likely that the record high inflow of south Asian nationals to the UK for work-related reasons is partly in response to growing skills shortages in our IT sector, especially for software engineers.”

The ONS reported a “statistically significant” rise in net migration from the Middle East and central Asia, rising from 18,000 in 2017 to 30,000 last year.

figures show that the UK is continuing to attract skilled workers like doctors and nurses who play a vital role in supporting our communities

Caroline Nokes, Immigration Minister

It said 201,000 EU nationals moved to the UK in 2018, the lowest since 2013, while 127,000 moved away.

Net migration from the EU has fallen since the EU referendum in 2016.

Immigration minister Caroline Nokes said: “These figures show that the UK is continuing to attract skilled workers like doctors and nurses who play a vital role in supporting our communities and boosting our economy.

“Net migration continues to be stable and as we leave the EU, our new immigration system will give us greater control over who comes here, while ensuring employers have access to the skills they need.”

But Sunder Katwala, director of migration think tank British Future, said the net migration target “was a promise to voters that could never be kept” and “as a result, public trust in the Government’s ability to manage immigration is at rock-bottom”.

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