Support for high levels of immigration in Canada has dropped to its lowest level in 25 years.
This is according to an annual report by the Environics Insitute, a Canadian research agency that collects data on government, economic and social issues within Canada, and seeks public opinion through surveys.
This year’s data found that six in 10 Canadians believe that Canada accepts too many immigrants cocmpared with four in 10 in 2023. The 2024 results represent a 14-percentage point increase in negative sentiments around immigration levels nationally, and demonstrate. and demonstrate the lowest level of support for high levels of immigration since 1998.
The past two years have been a dramatic change from the 2022 report which found support for immigration was at an all-time high following the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, since then, Canada’s economy has recovered 138% of the jobs lost during the pandemic and the national unemployment rate has been rising. This has been a contributing factor to many recent changes in Canada’s immigration systems such as a cap on the number of international students and the introduction of temporary resident levels to the upcoming Immigration Levels Plan.
The Environics survey is based on over 2,000 phone interviews with Canadians over the age of 18. Results were drawn from a sample size of the population accurate to plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
Support keeps dropping
In the report, support for immigration was noticeably low among respondents in the Prairie provinces. When asked if there was too much immigration in Canada, 63% of respondents from Alberta and 68% of those in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan agreed.
The results also showed less support for immigration among younger respondents than in previous years. This was notable among “Canadians under 45 years of age (up 20 points), compared with those who are older (up 13).”
The results also showed little difference in the opinions between Canadian-borns and first-generation Canadians.
Canadian’s overall support for immigration levels since 1977
As with the 2023 report, respondents noted increased cost of living and housing affordability as key factors in their declining support for immigration levels.
While housing remains a top concern, there was a sharp increase in the number of respondents who believe that immigration is a problem because of poor government management. The report showed that 21% of respondents felt this way, an increase of 10% over the previous year.
How Canadians prioritize immigration categories
Environics says that even among those who say there is too much immigration to Canada, fewer than 1% say that no type of immigration should be prioritized.
The institute says this shows that, like last year, Canadians may have concerns about the volume and categories of newcomers who arrive in the country, but they are “not rejecting immigration outright and consider some categories as beneficial.”
Overall, nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents were likely to support and prioritize newcomers who can work high skilled and in-demand jobs.
Education among newcomers was also seen as a priority (64%).
Comparatively, fewer Canadians believe that refugees fleeing conflict should be prioritized, down 8% from 2023 to a total of 47% for 2024.
There is even less support for prioritizing the immigration of family members of current residents. This showed that only 33% of Canadians support this kind of immigration at current levels . Once again, the decline in support for prioritizing family reunification was strongest in the Prairies.
Support levels for low-skilled workers coming to Canada for the short term are widely unchanged from 2023 results. The report showed that just 28% of Canadians placed a high priority on these workers.
International students also saw slightly less support at 27%. The biggest declines occurred in Atlantic Canada (down 13 points to 27%), as well as western provinces.
Canadian support for categories of immigrants.
Views on immigration and the economy
The study found that 29% of respondents said that the weak economy was a factor in their lack of support for immigration, an increase of four percentage points.
Still, the majority of Canadians (seven in 10) agree that immigration has a positive impact on the national economy.
Most support for immigration’s effect on the economy was found among Canadians with a university education, first-generation Canadians and those who support the federal Liberal and NDP parties.
Support drops sharply among those who vote for the federal Conservative Party, with just 21% saying immigration has a positive impact on Canada’s economy.
Canadian’s views on the economic impact of immigration
Immigration and Canadian society
This year’s report also showed a notable increase in the number of Canadians who believe there is a link between immigration and crime.
There was “substantial” growth in agreement among those asked to agree or disagree that “Immigration increases the level of crime in Canada?” This was especially true in Alberta where 48% of respondents agreed, an increase of 14% over 2023.
Ontario showed a significant increase at 40% (up 19 % from last year) as well as Manitoba and Saskatchewan (both 41 %, representing an increase of 20 percentage points).
Again, in terms of partisan support, agreement with this statement was found to be strongest among Conservative voters (55%). However, more Liberal (up 11%), NDP (up 5%) and Bloc Quebecois (up 2%) supporters agree compared to 2023 results.
How immigration benefits Canadian communities
Despite a more pessimistic view of high levels on immigration, Environics notes that “on balance” Canadians value immigrants in their communities for their contributions.
This view is especially prominent in British Columbia, where 42% of respondents expressed positive views on the local impact of immigration. Nationally, this view was shared by university-educated Canadians (43%) and those who support the Liberal Party (45%) and the NDP (47%).
Given the opportunity to elaborate, 70% of respondents with a positive outlook on immigration said they “value what immigrants bring in terms of multiculturalism and diversity.”
