Canadians show their clear support for government-sponsored amendments to Canada’s immigration laws

The results of a comprehensive survey on immigration show that Canadians are mostly satisfied with the recent changes to immigration guidelines enacted by the federal government last month.

This online survey of a representative national sample, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies, reveals that two-thirds of respondents, or 66 per cent, support the government-sponsored amendments to Canada’s immigration laws and favor granting the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration the power to fast-track immigration applications of skilled workers in categories that are in demand, and reject others.

A gender, age, and education based analysis of this two-third majority include 73 per cent of males, 69 per cent of Canadians aged 55 and over, and 71 per cent of those with at least one university degree. A region-based analysis tops Manitoba and Saskatchewan with 74 per cent, Alberta with 73 per cent, Quebec with 67 per cent, British Columbia and Ontario with 66 per cent each and Atlantic provinces with 56 per cent.

Two-thirds of respondents, or 65 per cent, believe the new rules will help ease labor shortages in Canada, and three-in-five, or 59 per cent, think they will effectively reduce processing times for immigration applications. However, half of Canadians, or 49 per cent, believe the guidelines will lead to unfair and arbitrary decisions affecting prospective immigrants, and two-in-five, or 41 per cent, fear they will negatively affect the process of family reunification.

More than two-thirds of Canadians, or 71 per cent, believe new immigrants should be encouraged to settle in rural areas rather than urban centers, and a majority of respondents believe Canada should attract immigrants primarily from industrialized countries (58 per cent) or people who come from English- and French-speaking countries (55 per cent). A slim majority of 51 per cent also voiced support for reducing the number of immigrants who enter Canada each year.

More than four-in-five respondents believe attracting high-skilled workers who want to immigrate to Canada (83 per cent) and attracting entrepreneurs and investors who can start business in Canada (81 per cent) are very or moderately important policies.

Having temporary worker programs to address specific skill shortages is third on the list with 72 per cent, followed by encouraging foreign students to stay in Canada after they obtain their degrees with 67 per cent, offering refugee protection to people who may be at risk in their countries of birth with 66 per cent, working to expedite the adoption of foreign children by Canadian citizens and permanent residents with 52 per cent, and reuniting foreign-born residents with family members who live abroad with 44 per cent. Attracting low-skilled workers who want to immigrate to Canada was regarded as a priority for just 25 per cent of respondents.

The survey shows that high-skilled foreign workers and businesspeople are seen as the cornerstones of the immigration system, followed by temporary workers, foreign students and refugees. Less than half of the respondents think it is important for Canada to reunite families and attract low-skilled workers.