Immigrants actually start blending into their new country’s culture six months before they even get there.
March 25, 2026
Original Paper
Evidence of a Migration Preparatory Phase in Global Social Network Data
SocArXiv · zjaut_v1
The Takeaway
By tracking 2.1 million migrants via Facebook data, researchers found a distinct 'preparatory phase' where people sharply ramp up friendships with residents of their destination country while still at home. These early digital connections often turn into real-world close friendships, proving that arrival is not the start of the integration journey.
From the abstract
Social integration is typically understood to occur after migrants arrive in their destination country. Using de-identified Facebook data on 2.1 million recent international migrants from 165 sending countries to five major destination countries—Canada, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States—we track 3.9 billion friendships formed before and after migration. We identify a distinct six-month migration preparatory phase preceding migration, during which migrants sharply increase