Immigrants enter Canada through one of three basic categories. Of the 23,000 immigrants intending to settle in Ottawa between 1999 and 2001, 55% were in the economic category, 5,537 immigrants were skilled workers with 6,639 dependents and 88 immigrants, with 258 dependents, fell under the business class. In the second category, family reunification, 5,549 immigrants (24% of total) came to Ottawa to join close family members. Refugees made up about 21% or 4,726 of the immigrants settling in Ottawa between 1999 and 2001.