New Study Examines Canadian Views on Immigration Levels and Immigration Categories, in the COVID Era

The Association for Canadian Studies recently commissioned a study of 1531 Canadians, who are 18 years of age or older and were randomly selected. 

The results from the study highlight some interesting themes, including the following: 

• While Canadians currently support limiting the numbers of newcomers, they continue to value the contribution of immigrants to Canada and view them as important to the country’s long-term economic recovery.
  
  
• Immigration dropped significantly between the second quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2020, with Family Sponsorship and Refugee intake especially affected. 
  
  
• Reductions to immigration cut across all source countries (*to view respective decrease levels for each source country, visit https://acs-aec.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ACS-Immigration-levels-August-2020.pdf)
  
  
• Mantioba, Saskatchewan and Quebec record the biggest provincial declines in the percentage of immigrants admitted
• to Canada between quarter 2 of 2019 and 2020. 
  
  
• Canadians are still mostly positive about immigration.
  
  
• Canadians believe that family reunification should be the priority in admitting newcomers to Canada. 
   
• Most Canadians still agree that immigrants will help Canada's long term recovery. 

To view the entire survey report, click here.