>How many counties can you name for whom bringing large numbers of foreign knowledge workers worked to build up a a strong manufacturing core (apart from maybe operation paper clip [1])?

Singapore. If you expand your criteria for success a bit to 'advanced economy', many countries have utilized foreign labor to great effect. Saudi Arabia, Dubai and other Middle Eastern states saw signficant economic development, and the emergence of large export industries, utilizing foreign labor.

Caribbean states with economies centered around finance and tourism, and at least one African state, Botswana, with its mining industry, did the same.