(VOLUNTARY) Write the reasons for why you think immigration is good.

- country gets greater cultural, religious, culinary, & linguistic diversity

- immigration may help with labour skills shortage in country (e.g. country lacks doctors, encourage
doctors to immigrate to improve doctor/patient ratio)
- help immigrants to find a 'better life' if escaping dire situation in home country
- hopefully, increase cultural understanding & tolerance in country towards the home countries (& their
populations) of immigrants
A growing population is VITAL to economic prosperity. Without immigration, the US population and
the populations of many other developed countries would be in decline, which is a recipe for economic
disaster. In addition, our country often attracts the "best and brightest" from other countries, creating a
brain drain that is bad for those countries but very good for us. We get a steady influx of doctors,
scientists, and engineers who are already trained and ready to contribute to the American mission. In
addition, we gain benefits of cultural interchange. Immigration is all-around a net-positive for the
United States.
Allow everyone an opportunity to live where they want and do what they want with the freedom of our
country
Allows people a better life
As someone from the US, I live in a country made by immigration. I think a constant influx of people
with vastly different experiences, backgrounds, and ideals allows us all to challenge our own ways of
thinking and accept each other more. Urban areas (which tend to have a more diverse ethnic makeup)
tend to be more open to the constant changes in morality that society as a whole goes through.
Because I believe a county is or should be just the sum of its people working together to provide
utilities and social security, that countries should not necessarily be nation states and that people of
other nationalities have as much right to be here as British people do.
Because multiculturalism is mostly a good phenomena
Being from the US, it's part of our culture. I love seeing and talking with people internationally, so it's
cool to see them come and join our country.
Brings more people into the country with the potential to make it a better place
Can supply lacking skills and knowledge
Canada's cultural identity is build on immigration. Canada's population needs immigration for
growth/maintenance. People shouldn't have their whole lives determined by where they happen to be
born.
cuz
Cuz nigga shit, my family wanna come over. And niggas like Obama be fucken around with Donald
sterling.
Diversity brings culture and creates interesting communities.
Doesn't bother me any. I live in Koreatown. I'm white....the only thing that bothers me is a lot of the
Koreans in k-town seem to not like black people at all....I think it's because of the riots. LA is a really
segregated city.
Economic - doing jobs our country can't find enough people to do (healthcare)
Economic, Cultural, and Technological Innovation; Ideological Dynamism; If two heads are better than
one, two heads coming from different vantage points are even better.
Economy, diversity, more interracial children means stronger, healthier, and well-developed humans,
curb against low birth rates, even out populations.
Economy.
Every personin the US other than the Native Americans (although go back far enough in how they
might have crossed over via Alaska...), are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants. Immigration
is what started our country.
free movement of people, opportunities, less poor areas
Good for the economy. Broadens culture of the country.
Hard working people are hard working people regardless of origin. Also having a diverse culture is a
good thing.
Having worked and been a classmate with numerous new immigrants to our country, I believe they
provide a higher level of cultural acceptance and understanding in a community. They also improve the
economy through adding more workers to the workforce.
Helps people who are in bad situations in other countries
Helps the economy, brings together many different cultures that you can experience all in one place.
I believe it's great for the economy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJX5XHnONTI
I don't really think it's good or bad. Anyone who wants to be here should be able to be here. The only
people in the US who aren't immigrants are American Indians, so once you put in reasonable
regulations (i.e. background checks and papers) and an efficient system, why get discriminatory?
I married an immigrant.
He's a genius. PhD engineer - many of his colleagues are immigrants. We don't have enough
brains/dedication in our own american born citizens
I think a big part of America is the melting-pot philosophy. Except for a select few, we're all only a
couple generations removed from immigrants -- we need different ideologies and experiences here.
I think it is good to have diversity, more viewpoints etc and great restaurants.
I think people should be able to live wherever they want to live.
I wonder if you purposefully left out the word "illegal" in this survey. I, and I suspect many others,
have a vastly different opinion on legal immigration than I do on illegal immigration.
I'd just like to take a moment and explain why I answered "unsure/no opinion" to the questions about
accepting too few/too many immigrants in my city/country. I have a more nuanced take than can be
reflected by the choices above.
I believe in immigration, equal rights for immigrants, etc., and I think my country (Canada) and my city
(Toronto) both have mutually beneficial relationships with their immigrant populations. I'm so grateful
to have grown up in a culturally diverse environment. I think that brings so much valuable perspective
to a city, not to mention a staggering amount of art and food and the stories of so many fascinating and
different people. I find that in urban Canada there is a reduction (though by no means an elimination)
in instances of racism/xenophobia - which I believe is directly related to the strong and generally well-
integrated immigrant population. On the flip side, many of the immigrants to Canada come from
violent or impoverished countries and are able to improve the quality of life for themselves and their
children by coming here. In general I am in favour of a more connected world.
However (particularly in Toronto, a very popular immigrant destination), Canada simply cannot
accommodate the number of immigrants it accepts - at least not without shipping them out to rural
areas. Many immigrants are out of work (as are many Canadian-born citizens) and find themselves
working low-skill, low-pay jobs outside of their fields and struggling to support their families. I work
with many immigrants and they often feel that they were sold a lie and regret coming to a place where
not only have their lives not markedly improved as advertised, but they may also feel alienated and
never quite feel at home
Toronto is stuffed to the gills with people. It's not a problem with immigration I have conceptually or
one that's racially motivated, it's simply a matter of infrastructure. So yeah I guess you could say my
real answer for my city would be "too many." As for my country, that depends, but for now I'd say "too
many" as well until a better system is in place to avoid the situation we are currently in.
If people want to come, be a part of our country, pay taxes like everyone else and such, that is great!
Adding other cultures to what we see around is a neat experience and should be appreciated. People
have talked about the US being a "melting pot", but that's hardly been celebrated. When people
immigrated because of famine or anything else they are ridiculed rather than welcome and it's bullshit.
If you can't change your location, you're on the mercy of fate (having to live where you happened to be
born). I think people should be able to control their lives more.
I'm a temporary immigrant worker, working in an outsourced language job. The experience I've gained
here is amazing, I've learned so much from different cultures and different people, even people from
my own home country. I could see myself living abroad a lot, but I think I'll always have my own home
country where my family is.
I'm from the United States so my perspective will be fairly biased towards American immigration
policies. I feel that unless you are Native American you can't complain about illegal immigration, I
especially can't. Almost all of my ancestors were Irish, Slavic, and Scandinavian immigrants who,
when they arrived in the U.S., were looked at as the dirty, lazy, criminals taking jobs from good hard
working Americans. Now, about 150 years later, nobody would take a second glance at me. I'm
considered just as "American" as the next white guy. This is likely to happen to other groups as time
goes on. More and more Hispanic immigrants are now just identifying as "white" rather than something
else. My guess would be that in another 150 years someone descended from Hispanic immigrants will
be no less American than someone like me, descended from Irish immigrants. How can I say that I
don't like Mexicans coming to the U.S. and not be a massive hypocrite?
Immigration brings in diversity, new ideas, and ways of doing things. Also continues to increase the
labor base which allows capitalism to continue to grow. Won't last forever, but keeps it going longer.
Immigration can be a source of fresh ideas and skilled persons who will contribute to a first world
society when they arrive with first world skills they may have learned in their new country or at home.
They can become beneficial to their new home through contribution to the greater good. My good
friend came here illegally and was deported. When he returned, legally, he worked hard, even though
he cried every night for six months because he was so poor, and now he is a millionaire / philanthropist
/ community-volunteer. People have jobs because of him, and he feels blessed to have come here and
succeeded, with liberty that he earned by being a law abiding resident.
Immigration can bring talented people and keep families together. We make people work way too hard
to get visas to be with the person they love or to work skilled and intellectual jobs. There's a reason
there's a brain drain problem in the US right now, because it's easy for our talented people to go
elsewhere but hard for talented people from other countries to come here.
Immigration increases the capabilities of the nation by bringing in those willing to work hard and those
skilled into the country, thus improving the country as a whole.
Immigration is good because it allows for cultural variety and innovation.
Immigration is good when people with high (or very specialised) education/skill set get to live
somewhere else to teach or to use their skills. Immigration is also good for learning about other
cultures. I myself lived a couple of years abroad and this was very educational for me.
Immigration is necessary to supplement a low birth rate which has drastic effects on the economy. The
united states is essentially stronger for having a representation of the world population within its
borders.
Immigration is what leads to diversity and it is diversity that makes my country, The United States of
America, so wonderful.
Immigration is vital to the survival of the country. I just think rampant illegal immigration is rotten and
unfair to those who go the legal route.
In Canada, we have a lot to offer immigrants and refugees from other countries. We also have a lot to
learn from people of other cultures. We also depend on immigration to sustain our population and
economy.
Include some culinary diversity, help with work when there is excess.
It allows for a "brain gain". The average immigrant to Canada (such as myself) cares more about
education and has a stronger desire to get high-paying jobs than those who were born here. Also, I only
ticked Arabia, Iran, and South Asia because of Islamic fundamentalism among some immigrants from
those regions. For no other reason am I opposed.
It allows for countries to grow, both population-wise and culture-wise. It promotes multiculturalism,
helps the economy (many immigrants are skilled labourers) and allows for people to have a better life.
It brings more culture to our melting pot country.
It brings new influences and new views. Mixes up the gene pool.
It combines peoples of different cultures, forming a more holistic human community.
It creates diversity, and I think diversity is good.
It helps refugees, and offers a learning experience for younger Canadians. Their culture joins into the
melting pot and changes us as well as them.
It promotes open-mindedess of both the people immigrating into the country and the people residing in
that country.
It raises diversity in many areas, which in turn raises awareness amongst non-immigrants that we live in
a global society, not a national one. We are all human and any opportunities to increase the living
conditions of someone other than myself should be embraced.
It sometimes gives people relief from their shitty situation in their country
It will improve the economy by providing an increased labour force and many western countries birth
rates is below 2.1 (replacement rate) so immigration will stabilise/increase the population
It's not fair for to preach equality and acceptance while casting out others. Immigrants enhance culture
and entrepreneurial immigrants could even create jobs.
Liberty for all. Immigration is one way in which people try to solve their own problems.
Makes dumb people angry
Man, I wrote an entire essay on this. I believe in it very strongly. Here's an excerpt: According to a
study by the New York Times, the children of immigrants tend to outperform the native-born
population in education and socioeconomic success.
In terms of educational attainment, 36 percent [of second generation immigrants] have at least a
bachelors degree, compared with 29 percent of the foreign born and 31 percent of all adults, reads
the article.
Immigrants better the country in countless ways.
More open economy, enrichment of culture/pool of skills and labor, supports the formation and
integrity of intercultural families, broadens political landscape, strengthens ties with other countries
More workers doing those undesirable jobs I won't do.
Net economic benefit from immigrant employment, cultural diversity.
Others can leave for a country that is safer than the one that they live in.
People are able to explore the world and live wherever, taking in refugees is good,
People can find different opportunities in different countries.
People moving to other places is just natural evolution. Just like the Saxons and Normans migrated to
Britain and influenced their culture, many Arabs are moving to Europe and cause changes in our
culture.
People should be regarded as citizens of the world. We should never bar people from living in the
place they want to, with the people they want to (with the exception of dangerous criminals obviously).
people should have freedom of movement.
People who are coming into the country, want a better future for themselves and in some cases their
families. They aren't coming here with bad intentions so why not let them in?
Provides opportunities to escape a hostile homeland/government (see: refugee-status) and/or build a
better life whilst improving the country of immigration.
Refuge for people
Sharing knowledge and best practices
Generating new ideas, products etc. due to the above.
Accomodating specialisation and globalisation of resources (people working in a job that's right for
them no matter where they were born)
Making people more considerate of other nationalities and cultures (just makes people better people,
and this is a necessary skill in the world of globalisation, and international information/communication)
Better food! :)
The country of Australia is less than 1% indigenous Australians, immigration creates the growth of
infrastructure and creates new communities and jobs and allows fresh thinking minds
The US was founded on immigration and I believe we are hypocrites for not allowing immigrants in
our country. With regards to Latin American immigration specifically, the U.S. screwed them over
economically and now that they are coming to us to try and better their lives we reject them. I know so
many immigrants that are incredibly hard working and work harder than any Americans I know.
There are lots of skilled immigrants in my country (doctors, builders) which greatly helps.
They do the jobs Americans won't do. I've never seen an American crop pocket.
We need people willing to do the work nobody else will do.
It spreads cultural diversity.
Our country (USA) is the Land of Opportunity, we were founded on immigration.
Young population in a country with declining demographics