Morocco increasingly attracts young European graduates
31 July 2013
Read by 2270 persons
More and more young people from Europe are crossing the Mediterranean in search of work and better living conditions in Morocco.
Leaning back in his deck chair on the small green terrace of his Casablanca apartment, Jean-Philippe doesn't look unhappy. At 26, this young graduate from Marseilles, from the National School of Arts and Crafts in Aix-en-Provence (France), has been living in Morocco for nine months. "I did my final internship at Lafarge, in Bouskoura," he says. "When I left school, I looked for jobs in France without really finding what I liked. I enjoyed life in Morocco, so when I had the opportunity to come back here, I didn't hesitate long."
Jean-Philippe works for a small Moroccan company that sells equipment and services to heavy industries. A decent salary, a 50m² apartment in the heart of the economic capital, weekend surfing... there are plenty of advantages. "I don't regret a minute," he continues. "I have a better quality of life than in France and I work in a more relaxed atmosphere." Like him, many young French and Spanish people have recently decided to settle in the Kingdom. Driven away by the lack of prospects and the economic crisis plaguing Europe, they generally find in Morocco a job, conditions and a lifestyle they could not have imagined in their own country.
North-South immigration
This new North-South immigration mainly concerns Spanish nationals. In recent years, their number has more than tripled, rising from 3,000 before 2008 to over 10,000 today. "We receive emails and calls every day asking us for information on job prospects," says Pere Navarro, social counselor at the Spanish embassy in Rabat. This interest is also visible on social networks such as Twitter or Facebook, where young Spaniards are exchanging information about working conditions in Morocco. Engineers, sales representatives, architects...
Their sectors of activity are very diverse. Some are expatriates working for Iberian firms, others are employed by Moroccan companies. But many also work informally, especially in the north of the country, around Tangier and Tetouan. "They take advantage of the geographical proximity to find temporary work in catering, construction or tourism," explains Pere Navarro. "They come for a few months, leave, come back, depending on their contacts and job offers." This back-and-forth is all the easier as they don't need a visa for a stay of less than three months, renewable indefinitely as long as they set foot back in Spain. This informal market is estimated to involve several thousand Spanish workers.
Dual nationals
The French exodus to Morocco, noticeable for several years, has not suddenly increased with the beginning of the crisis. Today, 45,000 French nationals are registered by consular services, compared to 30,000 in 2005. "We are not overwhelmed by young people fleeing the crisis to settle in Morocco," says a French diplomat in Rabat. "That said, we are seeing an increase in the number of dual nationals who have studied in France and are trying their luck here because they can't find anything in France." Mostly based in Casablanca and Rabat, these young French people are hired on fixed-term contracts, as international corporate volunteers or as expatriates. Like their Spanish counterparts, they tend to see their exile as temporary. Jean-Philippe, for his part, doesn't know what he will do at the end of his contract. "I'm doing well here and my bosses trust me," he says. "We'll see, but whatever happens, it's a good experience."
Posted online July 31, 2013
Published July 30, 2013
Jeune Afrique
Leaning back in his deck chair on the small green terrace of his Casablanca apartment, Jean-Philippe doesn't look unhappy. At 26, this young graduate from Marseilles, from the National School of Arts and Crafts in Aix-en-Provence (France), has been living in Morocco for nine months. "I did my final internship at Lafarge, in Bouskoura," he says. "When I left school, I looked for jobs in France without really finding what I liked. I enjoyed life in Morocco, so when I had the opportunity to come back here, I didn't hesitate long."
Jean-Philippe works for a small Moroccan company that sells equipment and services to heavy industries. A decent salary, a 50m² apartment in the heart of the economic capital, weekend surfing... there are plenty of advantages. "I don't regret a minute," he continues. "I have a better quality of life than in France and I work in a more relaxed atmosphere." Like him, many young French and Spanish people have recently decided to settle in the Kingdom. Driven away by the lack of prospects and the economic crisis plaguing Europe, they generally find in Morocco a job, conditions and a lifestyle they could not have imagined in their own country.
North-South immigration
This new North-South immigration mainly concerns Spanish nationals. In recent years, their number has more than tripled, rising from 3,000 before 2008 to over 10,000 today. "We receive emails and calls every day asking us for information on job prospects," says Pere Navarro, social counselor at the Spanish embassy in Rabat. This interest is also visible on social networks such as Twitter or Facebook, where young Spaniards are exchanging information about working conditions in Morocco. Engineers, sales representatives, architects...
Their sectors of activity are very diverse. Some are expatriates working for Iberian firms, others are employed by Moroccan companies. But many also work informally, especially in the north of the country, around Tangier and Tetouan. "They take advantage of the geographical proximity to find temporary work in catering, construction or tourism," explains Pere Navarro. "They come for a few months, leave, come back, depending on their contacts and job offers." This back-and-forth is all the easier as they don't need a visa for a stay of less than three months, renewable indefinitely as long as they set foot back in Spain. This informal market is estimated to involve several thousand Spanish workers.
Dual nationals
The French exodus to Morocco, noticeable for several years, has not suddenly increased with the beginning of the crisis. Today, 45,000 French nationals are registered by consular services, compared to 30,000 in 2005. "We are not overwhelmed by young people fleeing the crisis to settle in Morocco," says a French diplomat in Rabat. "That said, we are seeing an increase in the number of dual nationals who have studied in France and are trying their luck here because they can't find anything in France." Mostly based in Casablanca and Rabat, these young French people are hired on fixed-term contracts, as international corporate volunteers or as expatriates. Like their Spanish counterparts, they tend to see their exile as temporary. Jean-Philippe, for his part, doesn't know what he will do at the end of his contract. "I'm doing well here and my bosses trust me," he says. "We'll see, but whatever happens, it's a good experience."
Posted online July 31, 2013
Published July 30, 2013
Jeune Afrique
