Canada welcomes immigration, calling newcomers a positive influence

Seventy-five percent of respondents said they believed that immigrants had either a very good or somewhat good influence on their country, with only 20 percent saying that immigrants' influence was negative.

Photo: Canada welcomes immigration, calling newcomers a positive influence

According to the most recent national census in 2001, 18.4 percent of Canada's population was foreign-born, the AP reports.

Canada has been criticized for attracting highly-educated immigrants, who are then forced to take jobs below their academic credentials because they cannot find work comparable to the positions they left behind.

Canadians generally believe that immigrants work at least as hard as the native-born, with 43 percent saying they work harder. Only 15 percent of Canadians believe immigrants are more likely to be involved in crime.