Migrants’ inclusion has always been an important part of the migration phenomenon, but it is a particularly complex issue in today’s increasingly globalized world and diverse societies. Chapter 6 introduces the notions of migrants’ inclusion and social cohesion and examines inclusion outcomes and obstacles in policy and practice. It also discusses “the situation on the ground” where inclusion primarily takes place through the role played by local actors and migrants themselves.

While recognizing that no one-size-fits-all approach to inclusion exists, this chapter underlines the potential of holistic and inclusive inclusion policies for improving the effectiveness of policy responses adopted to foster migrants’ inclusion and social cohesion. It also emphasizes that the important role already played by local actors and migrants calls for further strengthening their involvement in developing and (re-)evaluating national inclusion policies.