A Leger poll commissioned by OMNI News and released Nov 4 reveals that two-thirds of surveyed immigrants believe Canada should admit fewer than 300,000 newcomers per year—well below the 380,000 permanent-resident target set in Budget 2025. Four in ten respondents favoured a cap below 100,000.
Interestingly, length of residency correlated with attitudes: immigrants who have lived in Canada longer were more likely to support very low targets, while recent arrivals and younger respondents were more receptive to higher inflows. Only 10 % of those polled backed admissions above 300,000.
![Immigrant-Only Poll Finds Majority Want Lower Annual Intake Than Budget Targets]()
The findings complicate the political narrative that opposition to higher immigration is driven mainly by native-born Canadians. They also provide organisations managing settlement services with data showing potential fractures within newcomer communities—an important consideration for corporate DEI programs and public-affairs strategies.
Mobility leaders should monitor sentiment in destination cities, where housing shortages and cost-of-living pressures feed demand for tighter intake. Negative perceptions can translate into local zoning push-back against student residences or foreign-worker housing, thereby affecting project deployment timelines.
Interestingly, length of residency correlated with attitudes: immigrants who have lived in Canada longer were more likely to support very low targets, while recent arrivals and younger respondents were more receptive to higher inflows. Only 10 % of those polled backed admissions above 300,000.
The findings complicate the political narrative that opposition to higher immigration is driven mainly by native-born Canadians. They also provide organisations managing settlement services with data showing potential fractures within newcomer communities—an important consideration for corporate DEI programs and public-affairs strategies.
Mobility leaders should monitor sentiment in destination cities, where housing shortages and cost-of-living pressures feed demand for tighter intake. Negative perceptions can translate into local zoning push-back against student residences or foreign-worker housing, thereby affecting project deployment timelines.
