Canada needs both high-skilled and low-skilled immigrants, but public support for immigration favours the highly skilled. This creates a dilemma for the Canadian government to balance public opinion with essential labour needs.
The gap in public support between high- and low-skilled immigration presents a major challenge for Canadian policymakers. To address both immigration priorities and labour shortages, the Canadian government needs to build more public consensus. CMS affiliate Dr. Vince Hopkins and his colleagues investigate how policy communications can shift public opinion and increase support for low-skilled immigration.
“To build the consensus needed for Canada's economic future, policymakers need to move beyond the skill-level divide. We need to address public concerns by clearly articulating how a balanced, skilled immigration system benefits the nation as a whole.”
Key Findings
- While Canadians are generally supportive of immigration, this support is conditional on immigrants’ skill level. 75% of respondents supported the entry of more high-skilled immigrants, compared to only 22% supported welcoming more low-skilled immigrants.
- Attitudes toward high-skilled immigration are not easy to change. Even when respondents were presented with the potential economic downsides of high-skilled immigration, their support remained high.
- Positive framing about low-skilled immigration can increase support for allowing more low-skilled immigrants. When the economic benefits of low-skilled immigration are communicated clearly and positively, support for this group significantly increases.
Recommendations
- Governments can develop clear, direct, and positive policy communication regarding the economic contributions of low-skilled workers to build public support for expanding low-skilled immigration policies.
- Governments can also reduce public uncertainty by clearly communicating how a balanced system of both high-skilled and low-skilled immigration can bring economic benefits to the country as a whole.
Implications for Current Events
In early January 2026, Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey reported employment declines in both high-skilled and low-skilled sectors. Professional and technical services dropped by 0.9% (18,000 jobs), while accommodation and food services lost 1.0% (12,000 jobs). The utilities sector—essential for electricity and waste management—fell by 3.0%. Lower employment does not necessarily mean “fewer jobs,” especially when baseline demand is relatively stable. Rather, it implies a reduction in the number of available workers needed to provide everyday services and maintain infrastructure.
This is where immigration policy, and specifically a balanced intake across skill levels, comes in. Yet, public opinion tends to lean toward high-skilled immigrants. To examine this divide, Dr. Vince Hopkins and his colleagues examined how policy communications can shift public support toward low-skilled immigration. While Canadians have a strong preference for high-skilled immigrants, when the public is presented with clear, positive information about the economic benefits of low-skilled immigration, support for this group increased. This suggests governments’ communication of the concrete economic contributions of low-skilled immigrants can garner more favourable public opinion for lower-skilled immigrants.
About the Authors
Vince Hopkins is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia. He is interested in Canadian politics, with an emphasis on applied social policy. He examines how political and psychological barriers prevent citizens from accessing the services they need. His current research aims to improve the take-up of employment and integration services among jobseekers, young adults, and newcomers.
Capri Kong is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at the University of British Columbia. She holds a BA degree and a Master’s degree from the University of British Columbia. Her current research studies the characteristics and dynamics of friendship networks among first- and second-generation immigrants and their influence on immigrants’ sense of belonging and integration into Canadian society.
Original Research
Hopkins, Vincent, Andrea Lawlor, and Mireille Paquet. 2024. “How do Immigration Policies Affect Voter Support for Low-Skilled Immigrants? Evidence from a Survey Experiment.” The International Migration Review.
Copyright: UBC Centre for Migration Studies
Availability: Web & Print
Publication date: February 11, 2026
Pages: 3
This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.