Migration Policy, Networks, and Path Dependency

Quick quote from an Economist blog post about migration, derived from a Eurostat report on migration.

Abundant research tells us that migrants follow networks. Once you have 10,000 from nation X, the next 10,000 will also be from there. (In Britain’s most recent wave, X was Poland.) Abundant research also shows us that some migrant communities never integrate. So here’s the conclusion. Nations who are going to need millions of foreign workers should start today building critical masses of migrants from nations they think will fit in most easily.
Aide mémoire to ministers: You are going to need more hands. The early birds will get to chose where these hands come from.