British Home Secretary James Cleverly said on Thursday the government was "completely committed to reducing levels of legal migration," after net migration rose to 672,000 in year to the end of June.

“We do need to reduce our overall numbers by eliminating the abuse and exploitation of our visa system by both companies and individuals," Cleverly said in a statement.

"We are working across government on further measures to prevent exploitation and manipulation of our visa system, including clamping down on those that take advantage of the flexibility of the immigration system." (Reporting by Muvija M and Paul Sandle)