Poll finds most immigrants want fewer than 300,000 immigrants annually, lower than outlined in budget

A new poll shows immigrants want lower immigration levels than Canada’s plan outlined in Tuesday’s federal budget.

Between 2026 and 2028, officials are targeting 380,000 permanent resident admissions for each year. That’s down from 395,000 in 2025 — but still more than immigrants currently living in Canada have an appetite for.

Even before the federal government released its new immigration targets in Tuesday’s budget, the majority of respondents in a new OMNI News poll said Canada should admit fewer immigrants.

The Leger Poll, commissioned for OMNI News, is one of only a few that solely surveyed the sentiments of immigrants.

Of the 1,510 surveyed, two-thirds said Canada should admit fewer than 300,000 immigrants annually. Four in ten say it should be below 100,000.

The poll results i