Half of Canadians say immigration should decrease
Views on immigration slipping, says new Angus Reid analysis
Half of Canadians would prefer to see the federal government’s current immigration targets of 310,000 new permanent residents for 2018 decreased, says a new study that analyzes current and historical public opinion data.
For those currently opposed, the qualifications of immigrants do not appear to matter. While Canadians are generally positive about the economic benefits of immigration for the country, across each of the three major classes of permanent residents — economic, family and refugee/humanitarian — a majority of those who say immigration is too high also say that each of these individual group totals should be reduced.
This analysis finds that over the course of four decades, the number of Canadians saying immigration is either at the right level or should be increased has remained above 50 per cent, even as immigration levels have consistently risen, beginning in the 1980s.
Over the same period of time, the number saying immigration levels should be decreased has fluctuated within the 40 to 50 per cent range.
The most recent data reveals a notable change, however. As immigration targets have risen from 260,000 to 310,000 between 2014 and 2018, so too have the number of people saying there should be fewer immigrants to Canada: one-third (36 per cent) said this in 2014; half (49 per cent) say it now.
Half of Canadians (49 per cent) also say that the 2018 target of 310,000 is too high. Three-in-10 see that number as about right, while the rest say it is either too low (six per cent) or they are unsure (14 per cent)