A large majority of Canadians believe that temporary foreign workers are important (48%) or somewhat important (34%) to the Canadian economy. Older Canadians of the 55-plus (56%) or upwards age range are more likely than younger ones (38%) to agree to this claim.
Conducted by Nanos Research, which is one of North America’s top-most research and strategy organizations, and which helps corporations, government agencies and advocacy associations understand and chart the public mood, the poll gauged the views of Canadians on temporary foreign workers.
Specifically, it focussed on their importance to the Canadian economy, support for employers bringing them to Canada to fill jobs, allowing them to become citizens or PRs, having more temporary foreign workers come to Canada for jobs, and allowing them to change employers.
To achieve this aim, Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land-and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,006 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between December 17 and 29, 2029, as part of an omnibus survey.
Participants were randomly recruited via telephone using live agents and administered an online survey.
They sample included both land- and cell-lines throughout Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest Census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.
They margin of error for this survey is ± 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The research was commissioned by the Globe and Mail.
Another key finding of the report was that eight in ten Canadians support (49%) or somewhat support (30%) employers bringing in temporary foreign workers to help fill jobs they can’t find Canadians to do.
This support is stronger in the Atlantic region (61% support, 25% somewhat support) and Quebec (57% support, 32% somewhat support).
Over two-thirds of Canadians show support for interested temporary foreign workers remaining in Canada to become citizens or permanent residents. Older Canadians (74% of those 55 and above), once again, were more likely to extend such support than their younger counterparts (62% of those between 18-34).
Canadians were also more likely to support (31%) rather than oppose (17%) allowing temporary foreign workers who are brought to Canada for a specific job to change employers.
Quebec residents are more likely to support this (43%) than Prairie residents (24%) and British Columbia residents (26%).
