72% of Moroccan Graduates in France Wish to Return to Morocco
1 March 2012
Read by 4861 persons
Do Moroccan students in France really want to return to Morocco after their studies? To find out, the website Careers in Morocco conducted a survey. The result is clear: a large majority of the Moroccan students surveyed wish to return to Morocco to live and work.
A total of 1897 Moroccan students in France were surveyed electronically for the study conducted by Careers in Morocco, published in January, in partnership with the Club France Maroc and the Académia Foundation. Question: do they want to return to Morocco? They are divided into three categories: students, higher education graduates residing in France, and graduates who have chosen to return to Morocco. Result: 53% of students and 72% of graduates surveyed wish to return to Morocco. "This desire is explained by a willingness to contribute to the country's development and to be closer to the family environment," explains the study. The third factor taken into account is the search for a comfortable life in the country of origin.
Upon their return to Morocco, these students mostly settle in Casablanca and Rabat, either because they are from these cities or because they are more economically dynamic than other regions of Morocco. The sectors these young people favor are Banking-Insurance, Finance, and Information and Telecommunication Technologies.
Between 15,000 and 22,000 dirhams requested
The main reason that currently hinders Moroccan students when they want to return is the fear that salaries will be too low in Morocco. 28% of students and 30% of graduates think so. The average salary expectations of university students are around 15,000 DH. For business schools, the average desired salary is 22,000 DH, while it is 19,500 DH for engineering schools," say the authors of the study.
The second obstacle is the fear of having unmotivating career prospects in Morocco. Then comes the fear of working in an unfulfilling professional environment. Then, for 8% of students and graduates, social pressure is a determining factor that hinders their return to Morocco. "This may be due to their adaptation to the French way of life," explains the study. The Moroccan economic and political contexts come last in the list of obstacles to their return.
The study also wanted to look at what Moroccans who have taken the plunge towards their new life in the kingdom think. "For married people or those who have been, the Moroccan health system is a factor of dissatisfaction. This is probably due to more significant family responsibilities than those of a single person. Binational people seem more sensitive to the quality of the health system, because they may have the French health system as a reference," explains the study. Beyond a deficient medical sector, Franco-Moroccans criticize Morocco for its general lack of transparency and its way of life.
In 2006: 96.6% of students thought they would return to Morocco
The last major study on the subject of returning to Morocco dates back to December 2006, a study by Maroc Entrepreneur, an association that helps create businesses for Moroccan students and graduates in France. A total of 1823 people were surveyed. The survey covered not only students but also young executives based in France and abroad. Conclusion: the desire of young Moroccans to return to Morocco has strongly decreased between 2006 and 2012, according to the two studies.
86.4% of those surveyed in the Maroc Entrepreneur study planned to return to Morocco. More precisely, "The professional status of those surveyed influences the trend of return. Students are the most inclined to return. 96.6% of them are in favor [compared to 53% today, according to the Careers in Moroco study], followed by graduates 80.5%, then job seekers 77%," explained the study at that time.
Salary has also remained a major factor for return since 2006. Salary expectations have not changed much in 6 years. In 2006, 62% of students surveyed said they were ready to return for a salary less than 15,000 dirhams. On the other hand, about 45% of engineering and business school students demanded a salary greater than 20,000 dirhams.
The choice of cities remained the same: the Casablanca-Rabat axis was also favored in 2006. The sectors of activity have not changed either. Computer science, high-tech, telecommunications, and banking and insurance were already the most attractive sectors.
However, it should be noted that the political context in France changed between 2006 and 2012. It is becoming an encouraging factor for Moroccan students to return home, emphasizes the Careers in Morocco study, following the recent immigration policy implemented by the Sarkozy government and the Guéant circular dating from May 2011.
"After the Polish plumber, the Moroccan engineer"
The French newspaper Libération today publishes on its website a slideshow of 8 faces of foreign students from France, accompanied by their university courses and a quote. Six are Moroccan students. They all have one thing in common: they are or have been victims of the Guéant circular. Some of them do not have papers and are waiting for the prefectures to grant them a change of status to be able to work in France.
Karim Farih, one of the 23-year-old Moroccan students, is a mechanical engineer. He decided to return to Morocco without even asking for a change of status. He was disgusted by the circular, which he calls "humiliating and insulting," and currently works for a French multinational company in Morocco.
Hanane Jazouani.
Yabiladi.com
Published February 29, 2012.
Posted March 1, 2012.
A total of 1897 Moroccan students in France were surveyed electronically for the study conducted by Careers in Morocco, published in January, in partnership with the Club France Maroc and the Académia Foundation. Question: do they want to return to Morocco? They are divided into three categories: students, higher education graduates residing in France, and graduates who have chosen to return to Morocco. Result: 53% of students and 72% of graduates surveyed wish to return to Morocco. "This desire is explained by a willingness to contribute to the country's development and to be closer to the family environment," explains the study. The third factor taken into account is the search for a comfortable life in the country of origin.
Upon their return to Morocco, these students mostly settle in Casablanca and Rabat, either because they are from these cities or because they are more economically dynamic than other regions of Morocco. The sectors these young people favor are Banking-Insurance, Finance, and Information and Telecommunication Technologies.
Between 15,000 and 22,000 dirhams requested
The main reason that currently hinders Moroccan students when they want to return is the fear that salaries will be too low in Morocco. 28% of students and 30% of graduates think so. The average salary expectations of university students are around 15,000 DH. For business schools, the average desired salary is 22,000 DH, while it is 19,500 DH for engineering schools," say the authors of the study.
The second obstacle is the fear of having unmotivating career prospects in Morocco. Then comes the fear of working in an unfulfilling professional environment. Then, for 8% of students and graduates, social pressure is a determining factor that hinders their return to Morocco. "This may be due to their adaptation to the French way of life," explains the study. The Moroccan economic and political contexts come last in the list of obstacles to their return.
The study also wanted to look at what Moroccans who have taken the plunge towards their new life in the kingdom think. "For married people or those who have been, the Moroccan health system is a factor of dissatisfaction. This is probably due to more significant family responsibilities than those of a single person. Binational people seem more sensitive to the quality of the health system, because they may have the French health system as a reference," explains the study. Beyond a deficient medical sector, Franco-Moroccans criticize Morocco for its general lack of transparency and its way of life.
In 2006: 96.6% of students thought they would return to Morocco
The last major study on the subject of returning to Morocco dates back to December 2006, a study by Maroc Entrepreneur, an association that helps create businesses for Moroccan students and graduates in France. A total of 1823 people were surveyed. The survey covered not only students but also young executives based in France and abroad. Conclusion: the desire of young Moroccans to return to Morocco has strongly decreased between 2006 and 2012, according to the two studies.
86.4% of those surveyed in the Maroc Entrepreneur study planned to return to Morocco. More precisely, "The professional status of those surveyed influences the trend of return. Students are the most inclined to return. 96.6% of them are in favor [compared to 53% today, according to the Careers in Moroco study], followed by graduates 80.5%, then job seekers 77%," explained the study at that time.
Salary has also remained a major factor for return since 2006. Salary expectations have not changed much in 6 years. In 2006, 62% of students surveyed said they were ready to return for a salary less than 15,000 dirhams. On the other hand, about 45% of engineering and business school students demanded a salary greater than 20,000 dirhams.
The choice of cities remained the same: the Casablanca-Rabat axis was also favored in 2006. The sectors of activity have not changed either. Computer science, high-tech, telecommunications, and banking and insurance were already the most attractive sectors.
However, it should be noted that the political context in France changed between 2006 and 2012. It is becoming an encouraging factor for Moroccan students to return home, emphasizes the Careers in Morocco study, following the recent immigration policy implemented by the Sarkozy government and the Guéant circular dating from May 2011.
"After the Polish plumber, the Moroccan engineer"
The French newspaper Libération today publishes on its website a slideshow of 8 faces of foreign students from France, accompanied by their university courses and a quote. Six are Moroccan students. They all have one thing in common: they are or have been victims of the Guéant circular. Some of them do not have papers and are waiting for the prefectures to grant them a change of status to be able to work in France.
Karim Farih, one of the 23-year-old Moroccan students, is a mechanical engineer. He decided to return to Morocco without even asking for a change of status. He was disgusted by the circular, which he calls "humiliating and insulting," and currently works for a French multinational company in Morocco.
Hanane Jazouani.
Yabiladi.com
Published February 29, 2012.
Posted March 1, 2012.
