Six in ten Canadians believe there are too many immigrants coming to Canada, according to a survey conducted for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the results of which were released recently.
Key Findings of the Survey
The 2025-26 IRCC Online Tracking Survey found that 60% of Canadians felt there are too many immigrants coming to the country. In contrast, 28% said immigration levels were about right, while just 4% felt there were too few immigrants. The survey, conducted online in August 2025, polled 2,260 Canadians and was carried out months before the federal government unveiled its latest immigration levels plan, which significantly reduced immigration targets.
Impact of Additional Context
Public concern remained high even when respondents were provided additional context about Canada's immigration plans. When informed that Canada planned to admit about 380,000 permanent residents in 2026, 57% still said immigration levels were too high. That proportion fell to 51% when respondents were told the intake represented roughly 1% of Canada's population.
Immigration Levels Plan for 2026–2028
In its immigration levels plan for 2026–2028, which was announced in November 2025, Canada held steady the intake of permanent residents with a target of 380,000 annually over the next three years. However, it sharply curbed the number of temporary residents, especially international students. To illustrate, the immigration levels plan unveiled last year (2025-2027) had projected an intake of 305,000 students for 2026; this was cut to 155,000 and will marginally decline over the next years.
Recognition of Immigration's Contribution
At the same time, the findings suggest Canadians continue to recognize immigration's contribution to the country. Nearly 42% said immigration has a positive effect on Canada, compared with 37% who viewed its impact negatively. Another 17% said immigration has neither a positive nor negative effect. The survey points to a distinction in public opinion between support for immigration as a concept and concerns about the scale of newcomer admissions amid ongoing pressures on housing, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Attitudes Shift with Information
The results also suggest that attitudes become somewhat less negative when Canadians are provided with information about immigration levels. While a majority continued to say there were too many immigrants after being told about planned admission targets, opposition declined compared with responses to the general question on immigration levels.
Immigration: Levels vs Impact
- Say too many immigrants are coming: 60%
- Say immigration has a positive effect: 42%
- Say immigration has a negative effect: 37%
The findings come as Canada continues to recalibrate its immigration policies after several years of record population growth driven by both permanent and temporary migration. Policymakers have increasingly linked immigration planning to housing availability and the capacity of public services. The survey was conducted through an online panel and weighted to reflect Canada's demographic composition. Because it was based on a non-probability sample, no margin of error was reported.
