Canada – 30 per cent agree that immigrants take jobs from Canadians survey finds

Canadians have conflicted thoughts about immigrants when it comes to their roles in society and the workforce, according to a CBC News survey designed to capture attitudes on discrimination.

Statistics Canada figures indicate there were 6.8 million foreign-born residents in Canada as of 2011. That represents 20.6 per cent of the population, giving Canada the highest proportion of foreign-born residents in the G8 group of industrialized nations. Although Australia, which is not in the G8, has an even higher rate at 26.8 per cent.

Canada “is a welcoming place for all ethnicities,” according to 75 per cent of respondents to the CBC News survey.

However, responses became more divided when questions turned to specifics, such as the economy.

Across the country, 79 per cent of respondents said they would be comfortable both employing or working for someone of a different ethnic background.

A much smaller group — 55 per cent — “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that immigrants are “very important to building a stable Canadian economic future.”

But the survey also found that 30 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that “immigrants take jobs from Canadians.”

“Very often in the current debate over multiculturalism, these two things are presented as being opposed to each other,” says Jack Jedwab of the Association of Canadian Studies.

“They don’t have to be,” he argues, and points out that shows up “in the answers Canadians are giving to questions like these.”

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at Canadian attitudes toward immigrants conflicted, poll says – Canada – CBC News.