Maple News reports that public support for high levels of immigration in Canada has declined for the second consecutive year, reaching its lowest point since 1998. According to the 2024 annual survey conducted by the Environics Institute, a notable shift in sentiment has occurred across the country, with growing concerns around the current pace and scale of immigration.
The findings reveal that 60% of Canadians now believe the country is accepting too many immigrants—up sharply from 46% in 2023. This 14-point increase marks a stark departure from 2022, when support for immigration had reached record highs following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey, based on over 2,000 telephone interviews with Canadians aged 18 and older, has a margin of error of ±2.2 percentage points. It offers one of the most comprehensive insights into how public opinion on immigration is evolving in response to shifting economic and social conditions.
Support for immigration has dipped across all age groups, but younger Canadians under 45 showed the largest drop—increasing by 20 points in their likelihood to believe immigration levels are too high. Older Canadians, while still more supportive on average, also displayed a 13-point increase in concern.
Regionally, sentiment was particularly negative in the Prairie provinces. In Alberta, 63% of respondents said immigration levels are too high, as did 68% of those surveyed in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. This regional discomfort may be tied to local employment challenges and rising housing costs, which have intensified debates around resource allocation and infrastructure strain.
Interestingly, the survey found minimal differences in immigration attitudes between Canadian-born residents and first-generation immigrants, suggesting that concerns are becoming more widespread regardless of personal immigration history.
Experts believe the economic backdrop is influencing public opinion. Canada’s job market has fully recovered from pandemic-related losses, yet unemployment has recently crept upward. This, paired with rising housing unaffordability and public service strain, is believed to be fueling skepticism toward increasing immigration levels.
In response to mounting pressures, the federal government has introduced several policy changes, including a two-year cap on international student visas and new measures outlining temporary resident levels in the upcoming Immigration Levels Plan. More adjustments are expected as the government balances population growth strategies with public sentiment and economic realities.
As Canada prepares to unveil its updated Immigration Levels Plan, Maple News will continue tracking how these dynamics shape future policies—and the broader national conversation around immigration.