Perceptions of shared values in Canadian society among the immigrant population

Canada has the largest immigrant population among the G7. A record-high 23.0% of the people we counted in 2021, representing over 8.3 million people, are or have been a landed immigrant or a permanent resident. A recent study looked at the extent to which immigrants to Canada share the same values as Canadians in terms of human rights, respect for the law and gender equality.

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we asked a representative sample of 34,000 Canadians, including 14,000 landed immigrants, “To what extent do you feel that Canadians share the following values?” Among the values listed were human rights, respect for the law, gender equality and ethnic and cultural diversity. Respondents were asked to categorize the extent to which Canadians share these values through the use of a scale: to a great extent, to a moderate extent, to a small extent or not at all. Most respondents believed the values were shared “to a great” or “to a moderate” extent.

A recent study looked at the proportion of immigrants and Canadian-born people who felt that Canadians share these values “to a great extent.”

The study found that immigrants were twice as likely as Canadian-born people to believe that Canadians share values on ethnic and cultural diversity (47% versus 24%) to a great extent. Immigrants were also more likely than Canadian-born people to say that Canadians share values on respect for the law (62% versus 40%), gender equality (50% versus 30%) and human rights (67% versus 55%) to a great extent.

Immigrants from all entry classes have favourable perceptions of shared values

In Canada, immigrants are admitted as economic immigrants, through sponsorship by a family member or as refugees.

In every entry class, a significantly higher proportion of immigrants than Canadian-born people reported a strong perception of shared values in Canadian society.

All three entry classes were equally likely to believe that Canadians share values on human rights to a great extent (69%), while those admitted as refugees were most likely to believe that Canadians have respect for the law (69%). Immigrants sponsored by a family member were most likely to believe that Canadians share values to a great extent with regard to gender equality as well as ethnic and cultural diversity (both at 56%).

Recent immigrants have the most favourable perceptions of shared values

An immigrant’s perception of shared values is highest during their first five years in Canada, and it gradually declines thereafter.

For example, 77% of immigrants who have been landed in Canada for five years or less believe that Canadians share values on human rights to a great extent. This falls to 72% for those who have been in Canada from 6 to 9 years, 68% for those who have been here for 10 to 19 years and 62% for those who have been here for 20 years or longer.

While the perception of shared values declines over time, immigrants who have been in Canada for 20 years or longer still have more favourable perceptions of shared values than Canadian-born people.

Perceptions of shared values in Canadian society are consistently higher for immigrants across different population groups

Canada welcomes immigrants from around the world. Perceptions of shared values among immigrants vary markedly depending on their population group.

For example, immigrants from South Asia (78%) were the most likely to perceive that Canadians value human rights to a great extent, followed by Southeast Asians, Arabs and West Asians (72%). While White (59%) and Chinese (63%) immigrants were least the likely to perceive that Canadians value human rights to a great extent among the population groups studied, they were more likely to perceive this than Canadian-born people (55%). 

Black immigrants (75%) were most likely to believe that Canadians shared values on respect for the law to a great extent, while Blacks and South Asians were most likely to believe that Canadians shared values on gender equality to a great extent (62% for both).

To learn more, check out our infographic.