71 Percent of Canadians Say They Want Immigration Numbers Cut

People head to work during the morning commute in downtown Toronto on Aug. 22, 2024. The Canadian Press/Paige Taylor White

Nearly three-quarters of Canadians say they want to see Ottawa reduce immigration numbers, according to a recent survey.

The Nanos survey found that 71 percent said they would support or somewhat support reducing the number of new immigrants into Canada. Forty-five percent said they support reducing the number, while 26 percent somewhat support the move. Nine percent said they are opposed to such a reduction, and 17 percent somewhat oppose it. Three percent said they were unsure.

Support for reducing immigration was highest in the Prairies at 78 percent, followed by Atlantic Canada at 75 percent, and Ontario at 72 percent. In B.C. that number was 70 percent, followed by Quebec at 65 percent.

Quebec saw the highest percentage of those opposed to reducing the number of immigrants, with 31 percent saying they were either opposed or somewhat opposed. In B.C. 27 percent said they were opposed to a reduction, followed by Ontario at 25 percent, while 19 percent in the Prairies and 20 Atlantic Canada were opposed.

The survey also asked participants if they would support a federal plan to reduce the number of temporary residents to Canada from 673,650 in 2025 to 516,600 in 2026, followed by a slight increase in 2027 to 543,600.

Support for this proposal was highest in Atlantic Canada with 71 percent, followed by B.C. at 68 percent and the Prairies at 67 percent. Support in Ontario and Quebec was 65 percent and 63 percent respectively.

Opposition to the proposal was highest in Quebec at 29 percent, followed by the Prairies and Ontario at 28 percent. In B.C. 25 percent were opposed to the proposal, and 20 percent in Atlantic Canada said they opposed it.

The survey included 1,028 Canadians over the age of 18 who responded either online or on the telephone between Aug. 30 and Sept. 3. Nanos said the margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percent, 19 times out of 10.

Recently released numbers from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) show Ottawa has already surpassed some of its immigration targets for 2025.

The IRCC’s target for new temporary foreign workers this year is 82,000, but the federal government has so far issued 105,195 permits. Canada’s target for its International Mobility Program is 285,750 for 2025 but it has already admitted 302,280 people.

The numbers brought criticism from federal Conservatives. Leader Pierre Poilievre and shadow immigration minister Michelle Rempel Garner said the Liberal government had fallen short on its promises to fix immigration.

“A Canada First immigration and refugee system should only invite the right people in the right numbers so our jobs, healthcare and housing can catch up,” Poilievre and Garner said in an Aug. 25 statement.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has said that immigration levels need to be capped to allow more capacity to be built. In his mandate letter to cabinet ministers in May, he directed them to attract the “best talent in the world” to build the Canadian economy, adding that immigration rates needed to be returned to “sustainable levels.”

In his throne speech, Carney committed to “restoring balance” to the immigration system. He said Ottawa would cap the number of temporary foreign workers and international students to less than 5 percent of Canada’s population by 2027.

The Nanos survey results were released just days after another poll by Abacus Data found 44 percent of Canadians were in favour of scrapping the temporary foreign worker program. Thirty percent said they would oppose such a plan. An additional 18 percent of participants were either neutral or undecided.

Jennifer Cowan contributed to this article.