Family re-unification is so fundamental to Canadian Immigration law that it is stated as an objective in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of Canada. The concept "family member" is limited by its definition in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Some of the family members that you may be able to sponsor for permanent residence include:

 

Many immigrants to Canada are accepted based on their ability to become economically established in Canada. Generally speaking, business applicants have to prove business experience and must have a certain legally acquired net worth, and workers have to prove work experience. Depending on the category applicants are assessed on many other criteria as well:

 

Generally speaking this includes any person who comes to Canada for a legal temporary purpose and is granted status as a temporary resident of Canada. Canadian Immigration laws have fairly recently changed to make it easier for those workers or students who have certain work experience or have graduated from approved courses of study in Canada to become permanent residents: