By Mata Press Service

More Canadians than ever are saying the country is allowing in too many immigrants according to a new poll conducted by Leger for the Association of Canadian Studies.

The July survey indicated that 60% of respondents feel the immigration levels are too high, marking the highest percentage recorded this century.

This sentiment aligns with global trends where immigration concerns are becoming prominent in national elections across various countries.

At the same time, internal research by the Immigration Department shows that 51% of Canadians think immigrants should do more to integrate into Canadian society, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.

 Additionally, 46% believe Canada should prioritize helping unemployed Canadians over seeking skilled immigrants to address labor shortages.

The poll also highlighted that 27% of Canadians feel immigration is changing the country in undesirable ways, as noted in the 2024 Annual Tracking Study.

While there is support for immigration, it is often tempered with concerns about how to manage it effectively, particularly regarding infrastructure. The federal government's Immigration Levels Plan sets the 2024 target at 485,000 new immigrants, a figure many respondents find overwhelming.

According to the Leger poll, the quota is considered excessive by 52% of Albertans, 51% of Nova Scotians, 49% of residents in Ontario and Prince Edward Island, 47% in Saskatchewan, 46% in British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador, 43% in New Brunswick, 38% in Quebec, and 37% in Manitoba.

Jack Jedwab, president of the Association of Canadian Studies, attributes the shift in attitudes to the housing crisis and economic concerns that have intensified post-pandemic.

He also notes that immigration issues are gaining prominence in political agendas in the U.S. and Europe, influencing Canadian perspectives.

Jedwab suggests that global instability, such as the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, is contributing to these concerns.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced last year that Canada would limit immigration targets to 500,000 annually starting in 2025, up from fewer than 300,000 when the Liberals took office in 2015. This year, Canada plans to admit 485,000 new immigrants.

The Leger poll, conducted from July 12 to July 15, shows that 60% of Canadians now believe the country is accepting too many immigrants, a significant increase from the 28% who felt this way in a 2006 federal citizenship and immigration survey.

Highlights of the Leger Poll include;

• One out of two Canadians think that there are too many immigrants coming to Canada;

• Across all political parties more feel there are too many immigrants than the right number but over 7 in 10 Conservative and Bloc voters feel that there are too many immigrants currently coming to Canada;

• Immigration level concerns are highest in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec;

• Torontonians are more concerned with immigration numbers than are Montrealers and Vancouverites yet majorities across all three metropoles feel there are too many;

• Both white and visible minority Canadians believe that there are too many immigrants currently coming to Canada;

• Across age cohorts, youngest group (18 to 24) is the least concerned with current levels of immigration

An earlier poll in July as reported in the South Asian Post showed that 44% of Canadians now believe immigration has a mostly negative effect in the country, up 6 percentage points since a similar survey in October 2023. In contrast, 42% view immigration's impact as mostly positive, a 3-point decrease over the same period.

The survey reveals a stark generational divide, with 55% of those aged 18-34 holding positive views on immigration, compared to only 37% of those 55 and older and 32% aged 35-54.

Moreover, 46% of Canadians want to see the number of legal immigrants allowed into Canada decrease, an increase of 7 points. Just 31% want immigration levels to stay the same, while 15% want an increase.

Majorities in Atlantic Canada (53%), Ontario (53%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (50%), and British Columbia (48%) favour reducing legal immigration.

Alberta (42%) and Quebec (34%) showed lower levels of support for decreasing immigration.

"About two in five Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party or NDP in the last federal election would decrease legal immigration to Canada," said Mario Canseco, President of Research Co, which did the poll.

"The proportion jumps to 63% among those who supported the Conservatives," said Canseco.

Meanwhile, new research shows that Canada is still the country that most people around the world want to relocate to.

Experts at 1st Move International analyzed Google search data to see where people were looking to immigrate — and Canada appeared more than any other. The analysis showed that more than 1.5 million relocation searches were conducted for Canada over the past year.

Australia came in second place, scoring more than 1.2 million relocation searches.

Neighboring New Zealand clocked in third place, followed by Spain and the United Kingdom.

Portugal and Japan came in sixth and seventh place respectively, while wealthy European nations Germany, France and Switzerland rounded out the top 10.