A new federal government-commissioned survey has found that nearly half of Canadians believe the country is admitting too many immigrants, although public concern appears to have eased compared to last year.

According to the survey, 47 percent of respondents said Canada is bringing in “too many” immigrants, while 38 percent said the current intake is “about the right amount.”

This marks a decline from a similar government poll conducted in late 2024, when 54 percent of respondents said Canada was admitting too many immigrants.

The latest report noted that public opinion changed little when respondents were told that the government plans to admit 380,000 permanent residents this year.

However, views shifted after respondents were informed that the target equals about one percent of Canada’s total population. After receiving that context, the share of respondents who said immigration levels were too high fell to 39 percent, while 43 percent said the intake was appropriate.

Housing and jobs remained the biggest concerns among those who believed Canada is accepting too many newcomers. Around one-third cited housing affordability, housing availability, and a difficult job market as key reasons for their view.

The survey also found that 56 percent of respondents believe the government should focus more on helping unemployed Canadians find work instead of attracting foreign talent.

At the same time, many Canadians still see immigration as important for the economy. Around 52 percent agreed that immigration is needed to fill skill and labor shortages in local economies, while 61 percent said newcomers are necessary to support economic growth as Canada’s population ages.

Housing pressure was another major theme in the poll, with 55 percent of respondents agreeing that immigration puts too much pressure on local housing availability.

Among those who said immigration levels are too high, one in five pointed to pressure on social supports, while 13 percent said there are already too many immigrants in Canada.

Those who supported the current immigration level cited several reasons, including the need to meet labor market demands.

The survey also found that 58 percent of respondents believe accepting newcomers from different cultures strengthens Canadian culture.

Temporary immigration has become a major issue in Canada in recent years due to the high number of temporary workers and international students entering the country.

The federal government is currently aiming to reduce the temporary resident population to five percent of the total population by the end of 2027.

When asked about this goal, 41 percent of respondents said they expected it to have a positive impact, while 29 percent believed it would have a negative effect. Another 23 percent were neutral, and seven percent did not answer.

The random telephone survey was conducted by Phoenix Strategic Perspective between November 12 and December 4, 2025. A total of 2,500 people were surveyed, and the results are considered accurate within about 1.96 percent, 19 times out of 20.

The report was delivered to the federal government in February but was only added to the publicly available public opinion research portal last month.

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