Support for high immigration levels in Canada has dropped to its lowest point in 25 years, according to an annual report by the Environics Institute. This Canadian research agency gathers data on government, economic, and social issues, gauging public opinion through surveys.
The 2024 findings show that six in 10 Canadians now feel the country accepts too many immigrants, a significant rise from four in 10 in 2023. This 14-point increase in negative perceptions marks the lowest support for high immigration levels since 1998.
The past two years have seen a significant shift from the 2022 report, which indicated record-high support for immigration following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, Canada’s economy has regained 138% of the jobs lost during the pandemic, but the national unemployment rate has been increasing. This has contributed to several changes in Canada’s immigration system, including a cap on international student numbers and the introduction of temporary resident levels in the forthcoming Immigration Levels Plan.
The Environics survey, conducted through over 2,000 phone interviews with Canadians aged 18 and older, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
Support continues to decline
The report highlighted particularly low support for immigration among respondents from the Prairie provinces. When asked if Canada had too much immigration, 63% of respondents from Alberta and 68% from both Manitoba and Saskatchewan agreed.
The data also revealed a decline in immigration support among younger respondents compared to previous years, with those under 45 showing a 20-point increase in negative sentiment, compared to a 13-point rise among older respondents.
Additionally, the results indicated minimal differences in views between Canadian-born individuals and first-generation Canadians.
Similar to the 2023 report, respondents cited rising living costs and housing affordability as major reasons for their decreasing support for immigration levels.
Although housing remains a significant concern, there was a notable rise in the number of people who view immigration as problematic due to poor government management. According to the report, 21% of respondents expressed this view, marking a 10% increase from the previous year.
Canadians’ priorities for immigration categories
According to Environics, even among those who feel Canada has too much immigration, less than 1% believe no type of immigration should be prioritized.
The institute notes that, similar to last year, Canadians may be concerned about the number and categories of immigrants but are not completely rejecting immigration. They still view certain types of immigration as beneficial.
Overall, nearly 73% of respondents support prioritizing immigrants who can fill high-skilled and in-demand jobs. Education among newcomers was also a key priority, with 64% agreeing.
However, fewer Canadians think refugees fleeing conflict should be prioritized, with support dropping 8% from 2023 to 47% in 2024. Support for family reunification is even lower, with only 33% of Canadians in favor of maintaining current levels, especially in the Prairie provinces, where the decline was most pronounced.
Support for low-skilled workers coming for short-term jobs remains steady at 28%, while international students saw a slight drop in support, also at 27%. The most significant declines were in Atlantic Canada, where support fell by 13 points to 27%, and in the western provinces.
Perspectives on immigration and the economy
The study revealed that 29% of respondents cited the weak economy as a reason for their declining support for immigration, a rise of four percentage points.
However, the majority of Canadians (seven in 10) still believe that immigration benefits the national economy.
Support for immigration’s economic impact was strongest among university-educated Canadians, first-generation Canadians, and those who back the federal Liberal and NDP parties. In contrast, support drops significantly among Conservative Party voters, with only 21% agreeing that immigration positively impacts Canada’s economy.
Immigration and Its Impact on Canadian Society
This year’s report indicated a significant rise in the number of Canadians who believe there is a connection between immigration and crime.
There was a “substantial” increase in agreement among respondents to the statement, “Immigration increases the level of crime in Canada.” This perception was particularly pronounced in Alberta, where 48% of participants agreed, marking a 14% increase from 2023.
Ontario also saw a notable rise, with 40% agreeing (up 19% from the previous year), while both Manitoba and Saskatchewan reported 41% agreement, reflecting a 20-point increase.
Once again, support for this view was strongest among Conservative voters, with 55% in agreement. However, there was also an uptick in agreement among Liberal supporters (up 11%), NDP supporters (up 5%), and Bloc Quebecois supporters (up 2%) compared to the previous year.
The Benefits of Immigration for Canadian Communities
This year’s report revealed a significant rise in the number of Canadians who perceive a connection between immigration and crime.
There was a “substantial” increase in respondents who agreed with the statement, “Immigration increases the level of crime in Canada.” This perception was particularly prominent in Alberta, where 48% of respondents agreed, reflecting a 14% increase from 2023.
Ontario also saw a considerable rise, with 40% agreeing (up 19% from last year), while both Manitoba and Saskatchewan reported 41% agreement, which represents a 20-point increase.
In terms of political affiliation, agreement with this statement was strongest among Conservative voters, at 55%. However, there was also a rise in agreement among Liberal supporters (up 11%), NDP supporters (up 5%), and Bloc Quebecois supporters (up 2%) compared to the results from 2023.
