Poll shows Canadians believe immigrants are a burden on social programs

According to a poll completed this week, more than 50% of Canadians believe that immigrants represent a burden on Canada's social programs. About 66% want the government to give priority to educated or highly skilled foreign nationals seeking to immigrate to Canada. Survey results were closely tied to education levels - respondents with the highest level of education were less likely to believe that immigrants were a burden on the country's social system. 17,601 people were interviewed for the survey in 23 countries. Almost 40% of Canadian respondents said they believed immigration has had a positive impact on the country. Another 35% said they believed immigration has had a negative impact.