Exploring Canada’s changing public attitudes towards immigration (IMMIGRATEFUL)

Canadian attitudes towards immigration are unique and atypical relative to many other developed nations. Although several studies in the existing literature examine the factors that affect the attitudes towards immigration in Canada, we know little about what accounts for the shift in attitudes over the years. Moreover, while the attitudes towards immigration have become more positive over the last three decades in Canada, this trend is not immune to changes in economic conditions, such as the 2008-2010 financial crisis. This project, in partnership with the Environics Institute, investigates the factors that determine positive attitudes across the years and the dynamics of the shift in opinions towards immigration before, during, and after the financial crisis.

The public attitude towards immigration was examined from the immigration policy perspective. There are significant differences in attitudes among the population groups depending on education levels, age, political orientation and other factors. Our analysis helps to explain when, how and why different factors influence public attitudes and sheds light on the trends in public opinion in Canada.

The project uses quantitative methods (binomial logistic regression and decomposition analyses). We analyzed the Environics Institute’s Focus Canada Survey data between 1998 and 2021. Specifically, we examined the impact of age, political orientation, gender, education level, immigration status, region (province), and perceptions of current Canadian economic conditions on public attitudes towards immigration. 

Aytac, S. E., Parkin, A., Triandafyllidou, A. (2022/5)  (PDF file) Why are Public Attitudes Towards Immigration in Canada Becoming Increasingly Positive?

The above paper was presented at the workshop on Public attitudes towards immigration in Canada: A false or true positive?

Aytac, S. E., Parkin, A., Triandafyllidou, A. (2022)  (PDF file) Reciprocal Views of Immigrants and Indigenous Peoples in Canada.  Research Note 01.  

Aytac, S. E., Parkin, A., Triandafyllidou, A. (2022)  Newcomers to Canada support Indigenous Peoples and reconciliation (external link) .  theconversation.com.