December 5, 2024
Our recent national poll finds three quarters of Canadians support recent changes to the Canadian Government’s immigration policy. Seventy-eight percent of Canadians say they support recent federal efforts to reduce the projected number of new permanent residents in the country (53% completely support, 25% somewhat support), while just 12% of Canadians oppose the changes.
Support for efforts to reduce immigration in Canada is highest among Baby Boomers (81%) and lowest among Gen Z (63%). Differences also emerge among generations of Canadians, with 81% of those 3rd generation or longer signaling support. In contrast, 62% of Canadians who immigrated in the past ten years support efforts to curb immigration.
Given the choice, polling results signal Canadians are more supportive of seeing skilled workers with specialized training welcomed into the country compared with non-skilled workers. Canadians were asked if their province would be best served by having more, the same, or fewer immigrants across four key categories. Overall, 41% of Canadians want to see more skilled workers with specialized training or knowledge come to their province while 25% want to see fewer. Just 15% of Canadians want to see more temporary foreign workers brought to their province (46% want fewer). Quebec residents are more likely to want to see more temporary foreign workers (24%) compared with those in other provinces.
Earlier this year, the federal government announced a limit of 360,000 new study permits to be issued for international students in 2024. Polling results suggest most Canadians want to see measures taken even further, with 52% of Canadians saying they feel their province would benefit from fewer international students attending local universities and colleges compared to 14% who feel their province would benefit having more.
Finally, the number of Canadians who feel their province would be best served by having more refugees sits at just 9%, while 59% feel their province would benefit by accepting fewer. Results echo recent Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Annual Tracking Study (2024) results that found greater support for curbing refugee inflow than increasing it.
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between November 6-8, 2024 with 1,230 Canadians from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution. For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com
Narrative Research (www.narrativeresearch.ca), is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned, research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group (https://logitgroup.com/) is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies across an array of methodologies, and is independent, experienced and quality-oriented.
