Net migration has increased by 31,000 to 323,000 in a year, official figures show as EU "outers" say David Cameron's new deal will do nothing to stem the flow of immigrants.
The figure from the Office for National Statistics, is more than 200,000 higher than the Prime Minister's promised "tens of thousands", a target he maintains he can hit, insisting the EU agreement will help him do so.
EU net migration alone, the difference between the number of people arriving in the UK and the number leaving, reached 172,000 in the year to September - an increase from 158,000 the previous year.
It has been driven by a "statistically significant" increase in the number of people coming to the UK from Bulgaria and Romania - 55,000 in the year to September (a 38% increase). The two countries now account for more than a fifth of total EU immigration.
Mr Cameron is insisting the "emergency brake" on in-work benefits for EU migrants, thrashed out in a deal with European leaders last week, will help him to bring the number down.
The brake, which will see graduated in-work benefits for EU citizens in the UK, and changes to child benefit payments have been a central part of his Brussels negotiations.
Mr Cameron hopes it will help to persuade the public to vote to stay in the EU in the June 23 referendum.
A No 10 spokesman said: "We are very clear, and the Prime Minister has always been clear, that the pull of the in-work benefits system can be a real incentive to people to come to this country."
Home Secretary Theresa May said that immigration was still too high.
Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said: "The Prime Minister has re-negotiated the UK's position within the EU to close backdoor routes into the UK and exert greater control over EU migration by tackling the artificial draw of our welfare system.
"We will also insist on tougher immigration controls when new member states join the EU, to stop the mass migration that we have seen in the past.
"But net migration remains too high and there is still more work to do."
UKIP leader Nigel Farage seized on the increase in the number of Bulgarian and Romanian workers coming to the UK tweeting: "Romanian and Bulgarian figures have gone up significantly by (sic) 55,000 in the year ending September 2015, even higher than I predicted."
He added: "The Government pledge to reduce net migration to tens of thousands continues to be laughable."
Cabinet ministers campaigning for the UK to leave the EU have said the "emergency brake" will have no impact on the flow of migrants.
Employment Minister Priti Patel, who is campaigning to leave the EU, said: "More than half of the people coming here have come from the European Union – showing that we cannot control our borders while we remain members of the EU."
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith claims the "emergency brake", which will mean a graduated payment of in-work benefits for EU migrants, will trigger a flood of immigrants trying to get into the UK before the brake is applied.
Mr Cameron's deal also does nothing to tackle the immigration crisis crippling much of mainland Europe as refugees flee unrest in north Africa and the Middle East.
On Wednesday EU borders chief Fabrice Leggeri warned that 1m more migrants were expected to arrive in Europe this year - 110,000 have arrived since January.
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