Net long-term migration to the UK fell by more than 100,000 in the year after the EU referendum, official figures show.
The measure – the difference between the numbers arriving and leaving the country for at least a year – was an estimated 230,000 in the 12 months to the end of June 2017.
This was a fall of 106,000 compared with the record level of 336,000 in the previous year.
The Office for National Statistics said over three-quarters of the decrease was accounted for by EU citizens.
EU net migration fell by 82,000 to 107,000, which was described as a “statistically significant” drop.
Statisticians said the figures indicate net migration has returned to levels seen in 2014 following a peak in the middle of last year.
Nicola White, head of migration statistics at the ONS, said: “Overall more people are still coming to live in the UK than are leaving and therefore net migration is adding to the UK population.
“The first full year of data since the EU referendum vote in 2016 shows a decrease in the number of people coming to live in the UK and an increase in the number leaving, resulting in a fall in net migration of 106,000.
“Over three-quarters of the fall in net migration was accounted for by EU citizens.
“The decline follows historically high levels of immigration and it is too early to say whether this represents a long-term trend.
“The number of people immigrating for a definite job has remained stable but there has been a 43% decrease in the number of people immigrating to look for work over the last year, especially for EU citizens.
“These changes suggest that Brexit is likely to be a factor in people’s decision to move to or from the UK – but decisions to migrate are complex and other factors are also going to be influencing the figures.”
The figures show the lower level of EU net migration is driven by a fall in the numbers arriving and a rise in emigration.
The ONS report said there was a large fall, of 54,000 to 230,000, in immigration of EU citizens.
At the same time, the number of EU migrants departing the country went up by more than a quarter to 123,000 – the highest level since 2008.
This pattern was seen across the three different groups of EU member states.
These are western nations including France, Germany and Spain, eight central and eastern European countries including Poland and Czech Republic which joined the union in 2004, and Romania and Bulgaria, which became part of the bloc in 2007.
Meanwhile, separate figures showed that the number of EU nationals applying to become British citizens nearly doubled in the 12 months after the Brexit vote.
Net long-term migration from outside the EU was estimated at 173,000 in the year to June – a fall of 23,000 on the previous year.