Immigration to Morocco

Kingdom of Morocco, Commonly known as Morocco is a country in North Africa with the coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west and Mediterranean Sea to the north. It is bordered by Algeria to the east and has Western Sahara desert to the south. Morocco is distinguished by its Berber (an ethnic group indigenous to North Africa), Arabian and European cultural influences. This country is famous for its Marrakesh city’s Medina, a maze like medieval quarter, serves entertainment in its Djemaa el-Fna square and marketplaces called souks. You can see and buy colorful jewelry, ceramics and metal lanterns here. The capital city Rabat is a Kasbah of the Udayas has a beautiful 12^th Century Royal Fort overlooking the water.

Morocco is a good place to live as it has desert, mountains, beaches, big cities and small villages; a little something for every kind of people. Morocco is undoubtedly one of the top places to visit in Africa as the food is amazing, the culture is unique and the prices are affordable. This country is an Islamic state with full sovereignty and according to its constitution it guarantees you the freedom of thought, expression and assembly as well as you can freely practice your own religion affairs here. You can find a job here easily as it is a favorite tourist destination but it will be difficult to work here without knowing Arabic or French. There are many international companies working here in Morocco so asking around in the network of international profession contacts is a better way to find a job and after, accommodation.

Traveling information

Travelling to Morocco is possible by sea or by flight depending on the place you are travelling from. In this country there are several means of transport you can travel with like public buses, trains, cars (Uber and Careem) and commercial flights. It is suggested by the government to reconsider your travel and if it is not necessary reconsider your trip to Morrocco due to the terrorism is increasing day by day in this country especially in bigger cities. You can take sea route to reach here. Ships of Transmediterranea, FRS ferry boats and Euro Ferrys provide their services every day. Take a PCR Test and submit the Negative certificate of Covid-19, 72 hours prior travel to Morocco. Always carry a copy of your passport and visa. Best way to travel here is by air. There are near about fifteen airports providing services throughout the Morocco. Many European airlines and Royal Air Maroc manages continuous services to the different tourist destinations all over Morocco. Major city Marrakesh, is just four hours forty five minutes away from London, Paris is three hours and Madrid, a city in Spain in only two hours apart.  

 Documents Required: 

• Passport with six month validity
• Passport with at least one blank page
• No tourist visa required for less than 90 days stay (also depends on your nationality)
• No vaccination certificate required. 

For more travel advice please visit: thomascook.in  or travel.state.gov

How to Immigrate  to Morocco

If you are planning your visit to Morocco, then you need a valid passport and a visa, unless you come from a visa free country as citizens of many countries are able to travel to Morocco without any visa. Most of the countries are allowed a visa exempt stay up to 90 days in Morocco. Denmark, Finland, Iceland and United Kingdom, etc., do not need a visa to visit to Morocco for their stay up to 90 days. This is a safe country but travelling here needs more attentiveness than other countries.

Your stay as a visitor is bound to three months but it can be extended at a police station. Visiting areas other than tourist destinations is not recommended as it your safety will be in danger. Travel regulations can change without notice to the public, so it is recommended to you that before you travel, check the current regulation with Travel Exploration or the Moroccan Embassy. If your stay is getting longer, then you will need to apply for an extension visa with the Moroccan Government. Visas on arrival are only valid for three months. Travelers, who wants to stay longer need to apply at the local police station within fifteen days of arrival. 

Documents required are mentioned below: 

• Passport valid for 6 minimum months
• Passport must have three blank pages
• Passport size recent photo
• Visa application form (filled and signed)
• Flight bookings (tickets)
• Proof of sufficient funds (Bank Statements)
• Proof of accommodation in Morocco (hotel bookings or other stay) 

For more information please visit:  travel-exploration.com

People

Citizens of Morocco are called Moroccans. The population is predominantly composed of Arabs, Arabic Berbers and Berbers. This is a country of diversity, home to different kinds of people. Moroccans are tolerant, traditional, and happy people. They have different sides of their personality like they are friendly and have strong values. There are many different varieties of customs, music, food, dress and art in their culture. They have a sense of community. As a Muslim, they have modest clothing etiquettes. Covering legs and shoulders is considered as a good clothing sense unlike many countries. Many of them are also fishermen and boat constructors, in cities people work as mechanics and craftsmen. Use your right hand for hand shake or receiving or giving gifts to anyone. The left hand is reserved for cleanliness and using this hand for eating or greeting is considered rude or unclean in Morocco. Female tourists are not required to cover their heads only local women cover.

Job offers in Morocco

Getting a job in Morocco is will be easier if you know French, English or Arabic and with the help of your network of international professional contacts. Many multinational companies here are in continuous search of deserving candidates, so this is a good place to get job. Some of the highest paid jobs are Executive and Change Manager.  The lowest paying job is IT and Software developers. Jobs always in demand are Executive, Commercial and accounting Assistants, Chartered Accountants, Web Designers, Community managers, Administrative Assistants, etc. To get a job in this country you will need a work visa which will expire after a certain time and which you have to renew. There are several categories of Moroccan visas but for the employment purpose, most famous among expats is long-term visa. There are some points you must work on, like discovering yourself, access the hidden job market, search online and then apply for jobs, Prepare a perfect CV format and then submit it. 

How to land a Job: 

• Create a perfect CV
• Search and apply for jobs
• Make international professional contacts
• Send applications
• Prepare for job interviews
• Apply to small companies if needed
• Learn in demand skills
• Sign a contract offered by Company.
• Submit your documents in order to get a job.

For more information please visit: internations.org

Unemployment rate

The unemployment rate in the Morocco was 12.5% in the first quarter of the year 2021, and then it fell down to 12.1% in the same period a year later in 2022. The number of unemployed people fell down from 68 thousand to 1.466 million. Unemployment rate is the share of labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Jobless rate is high in Morocco as employers are less interested to hire highly qualified work seekers and are inclined towards to favor candidates who have medium level of education. Employment rate in Morocco is 39.10% in the first three months of the year 2022, from 39.70% in the last quarter of the year 2021. These days the unemployment is a growing problem in Morocco because of the lack of creating opportunities which will give graduates plenty of jobs. favouritism is one of some factors that barred many deserving young locals or expats seeking jobs. Other causes are fast growing population and labor force, skill mismatching, lack of enough information in the market, structural adjustment programs, sluggish economic growth and the market setup.

For more information please visit: tradingeconomics.com

Economy of Morocco  

The Moroccan economy is relatively liberal economy, governed by the law of supply and demand. Economy here is fairly, stable economy with continuous growth over the past few years. Morocco has become a major factor in African Economic affairs, and is the fifth largest African Economy by GDP (PPP). The GDP of Morocco is shown to trend approx. 122.00 US Billion Dollars in the year 2022. As well as the growth has been sluggish for a while now as the agricultural output has lessen by around 18 percent due to the drought. GDP has grown to 7.4 percent in the year 2021 from the previous year GDP, which was 6.3 percent in the year 2020 due to the exceptional growth of cereal crop after two years of drought, exports, remittances, microeconomic support policies and covid-19 vaccinations. The freedom score of this nation’s economy is 59.2 percent which makes it the 97^th freest economy in the 2022 year index. The service sector contributes for more than half of the GDP. Industry sector contributes additional quarter, which includes services like mining, construction and manufacturing. The sectors that recorded the highest growth are the tourism, telecoms and textile sectors. Morocco also depends on agriculture which accounts for around 14 percent GDP and employs 40-45 percent of the Moroccan population.

For more information please visit: tradingeconomics.com or en.wikipedia.org

Renting and buying of real estates for foreigners

Renting: 

For foreigners and locals, renting a property is possible and affordable in Morocco than buying a place. Plenty of property for rent is available in this country. Finding the accommodation according to your taste and need requires effort and planning. There are several properties you will find online as more than 80,000 residential properties are displayed on the property portals for rent in Morocco. Sometimes the display of property at the portal can be slightly different from the real view; however it is suggested to check the property in real. 

You can also find the property by contacting a broker or by mouth publicity. A local friend or a family member already staying in this place will be able to suggest you which apartment to take on rent. Renting an apartment or a house for short term is cheaper than buying a property. The amount of rent may vary from city to city as it depends on the neighborhood, market, size of the property, main city. Prices in the major cities are comparatively higher than the rural areas. 

Documents: 

• Passport Photocopy
• Identity Proof
• Photos passport size
• Contract with the names of landlord and tenant with signatures

Buying: 

Buying a property in this nation, including a land, condo or houses are permitted by the government for the expats. The only thing is the estate transaction should be properly sanctioned through the government. Agreement approved by the Moroccan government gives expats the property rights with some restrictions, so that they can rent it, live in it, or sell the property. Buying a place to live gives a sense of responsibility and happiness. 

While buying a property, prices may vary due to various aspects. For instance, the property is in the city centre or is in outskirts, its size, near the coastline or in the middle of the country, etc. Apart from the house price you will also need to pay the agency fees, notary and lawyer’s fee, acquisition fee, registration fee, etc. It is suggested to hire a lawyer and a translator if you are not good in Arabic or French or English. 

Process: 

• Passport
• Recent photograph
• Pay the amount (10% to 20%)
• Mortgage Papers

For more information please visit: expatfocus.com

Climate 

The climate in Morocco is pleasant. It is not hot all year round as many people may think. Morocco has four distinct seasons. Temperature varies, making Morocco a perfect holiday destination. 

Spring: This season lasts for two months only as it starts from the month of April, ends in the month of May. Also you will enjoy rain as in these months of the year average rain falls about 2 inches or less. 

Summer: This season starts from the month of June with some light rains, ends in the month of August. Sahara desert will be hottest these days and you will want to be out in morning and evening time as at this temperature goes down. Also, there is very little rainfall in these months. 

Autumn: This season starts from the month of September and ends till the month of October. Fall in this country is pretty mild and enjoyable. This is the best time to visit Morocco. 

Winter: This season starts from the month of November and ends in March. In the mountains it is as cold as you might also come to see a snowfall. Days are still sunny but the temperature will be cooler. Rainfall in winter season! Yes, November to January are also rainy months, especially in the North Morocco. 

For more information please visit: experienceittours.com

Languages

There are numerous languages spoken in Morocco but there two official languages of Morocco, which are Arabic and Moroccan Berber. Darija, known as Moroccan Arabic is the spoken native vernacular. There are approx. 6 million Berber speakers in Morocco. French is considered as the language of prestige, other than Arabic. French serves as the second language for more than 35% Moroccans. French has a major place as it is taught all over the world and serves as morocco’s primary language of commerce, economics, culture, science and medicine. It is also used in educational institutions and government offices. Spanish is also spoken by many Moroccans, especially in the southern and the northern regions of this country due to its historic relations and business interactions with Spain. 

• Arabic
  Modern and Classic  
  Dialect
  Moroccan Arabic
  Hassani Arabic 

• Berber
• French
• Spanish

For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org

Traffic

Driving in Morocco is very easy, as some people may think as the roads are little dangerous, scary and a bit too much to handle. But the roads are quite smooth, some are very new and some are still under construction. Driving on the highways or on the rural areas is safe but if you drive in big cities like Marrakesh, Tangier, Rabat or Casablanca, then it can be tricky sometimes. Most of the roads are in good condition but a few roads are chaotic, have large potholes and bumpy surfaces. Conditions of the roads in this nation are constantly improving so you may see some sign boards of road works along the way. There are people who are not orderly on the roads at all in Morocco, so be attentive while walking, driving or riding a bicycle. Here you can rent a car here with a driver. According to the traffic rules, traffic runs on the right hand side of the road. Seat belt for driver as well as passenger is mandatory while driving. The use of mobile, while driving a car is prohibited unless you use a handsfree system. You can drive in morocco with valid International Driving Permit (IDP) for one year in Morocco. The speed limit is below 60km/h in urban areas, 100km/h outside urban areas.  And on highways the speed limit is 120km/h. You will encounter many unmarked speed bumps, so be careful while driving. Avoid driving after dark especially in high risk areas. 

Documents needed as a foreigner: 

• Driver’s age should be of 18 years or above
• Vehicle’s registration papers
• insurance copy
• Driver’s license (International Driving Permit) 

For more information visit: mowgli-adventures.com

Currency

The Moroccan Dirham (DH) or (MAD) is the official monetary currency of Morocco. It is issued by the bank Al-Maghrib, the central bank of Morocco. One dirham is subdivided in 100 centimes (cents). The paper currency is in four denominations, which are 20DH, 50DH, 100DH, 200DH. Coins are available in ½DH, 1DH, 2DH, 5DH and 10DH. There is a coin of 10 & 20 centimes, which nowadays rarely used but is still legal and is in circulation.

There are some countries that use this currency in trade markets like Spain, Melilla and Ceuta, without being the official currency of these countries. Due to the use of Moroccan Rial and Moroccan Frank in the history, nowadays also while dealing with goods with a value lower than dirham, it is common to use rial or santim. These words are popular denominations widely used in Morocco to refer the different value of currency, especially for very high price goods, such as cars, it is normal to refer the price in sentimat. Rial is used when speaking in Arabic and centime when speaking in French.

Payment Transaction

Moroccans accept cash, cards or online payment. Cash is the original and the oldest payment method which is used by more than 70% population in this country. As well as Checks and invoices are also some of online methods to transfer money used in this nation. Domestic cards, international credit cards, debit cards, eWallets and bank transfers are the payment methods used in Morocco. Bank transfers and Digital wallets are least popular amongst Moroccans. Payment system has transformed over the time with the advanced technology. There are many ways to make and receive payments online, such as PayPal, 2checkout, Rapyd Payments and Crypto.com, etc. PayPal is the simplest way to receive payment from anywhere in the world. It is available in more than 230 countries and supports approx. 25 currencies. 

List of online payment methods in Kenya: 

• Cash
• Checks
• Bank Transfer
• PayPal
• eWallet
• 2checkout
• Rapyd payments
• com

For more information visit: support.ecwid.com

Cost of living of Morocco

Morocco is the 4th cheapest country in the African Continent and cost of living is cheaper than 60% of countries in the world. The standard of living in Morocco is general low with many poor people.  Major cities like Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh and Tangier are expensive. Cities like Fes, Meknes, Agadir, Asilah and Oujda are cheaper. The average monthly expense for a single person is approximately 12,000 Dirham and with family of four people it will be 25,000 Dirham. Food is cheap compared to housing or dining. You can find fresh fruits and veggies at open markets which are cheap. Travelling within Morocco is cheaper by buses but they are very crowded. A monthly bus pass will cost around 15$. There are trams that run almost everywhere. 

Some products used on a daily basis are mentioned below, which will help you determine the cost of living in Morocco: 

For more information on the cost of living in Morocco, please visit: expatistan.com

Apartment Rent

Finding accommodation here is challenging so asking your colleagues, friends, shopkeepers or waiters in the nearby café or restaurants will be helpful. As you wander on the streets and see some sign boards of ‘To let’ will also be useful. In many Moroccan cities renting a one bedroom apartment, in the city centre will cost around as much as a two bedroom apartment outside the city center. If your stay is for short term then there are many sites on the internet to help you get your accommodation. While talking to the landlord or to the real estate agent, take along your Moroccan Arabic and French speaking friend with you so that the conversation will be clear and easy as not many Moroccans are fluent in English.

The city of Rabata has the expensive apartments followed by Casablanca and Marrakesh in Morocco. Fully furnished one bedroom apartment in the city centre will cost you approx. 4,926 Dirham and same apartment, outside city will cost approx. 4,928 Dirham. A furnished studio apartment of 2 to 3 bedrooms in the city centre will cost you approx. 6,995 Dirham and outside the city it will cost you approx. 4,365 Dirham. After visiting on the above given link you will get the ideas of the cost of monthly rent. Property showing websites also mentions prices below so that you can choose according to your need and comfort.

Taxes

Taxes in Morocco has four main parts, direct taxes, value added taxes, registration fees and stamps. Taxes have an important part in the Moroccan economy. Taxes are imposed by the government of Morocco and the organization responsible for tax policy on Morocco which is known as General Management of Taxes. Income tax in Morocco is about 38%. Income tax applies to the income and profits of natural persons and partnerships that have not opted for corporate income tax. Income tax is applied on wages and assimilated, professional, agricultural incomes, income and property profits, income and profits from movable capitals.

Housing tax is also applicable on the owners of any property or real estate by the government authorities, also known as property tax or House tax. Corporate tax is mandatory on the income and profits of corporation, public institutions and other legal entities that carry out the lucrative transactions and irrevocable option to partnerships. The indirect tax such as value added tax (VAT) is mandatory on the every purchase of goods in this country. Taxes under indirect taxes are excise duty, custom duty and VAT. In Morocco income tax comes under direct tax. Income tax is the most important tax used here.

For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org

Health Insurance

Morocco has more than 12 million people covered by the health insurance and as per the government it will expand in the year 2022 covering the unconsidered sector as workers, artisans, taxi drivers, farmers, etc. Here health insurance system is the mixture of government and private insurances. Most of the population in this country is covered through the primary source of health insurance. This is the Mandatory health insurance called L’Assurance Maladie Obligatoire (AMO). The payroll based system is the AMO. It covers the cost of general medicine, surgical and medical specialties, pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care, lab testing, radiology and medical imaging, optical care, oral health treatments and paramedics. Morocco does not have a universal or compulsory Healthcare system. This country has voluntary health insurance system for certain aspects of the population, consisting of civil servants, workers at public enterprises and professional in certain areas. Health insurance system in this nation guarantees free care to everybody. Especially, for the people living under poverty line, get free care at any clinic that is run by the Moroccan government and has the certificate of d’indigence. 

For more information visit: borgenproject.org

Important addresses

Mohammed V International Airport:
9C97+XPJ,
Rte de Nouasseur,
Casablanca,
Morocco,
Ph: +212 5225-39040

Rabat-Salé International Airport:
3722+459
Rabat,
Salé,
Morocco
Ph: +212 5224-35858

Marrakesh Menara Airport:
RAK Mhamid saada 6 n209 4000,
Morocco
Ph: +212 5244-47910

Casa Voyageurs Train Station:
Casablanca 20250,
Morocco

Rabat Train Station:
Ave Mohammed V,
Rabat,
Morocco
Ph: +212 5377-74747

Tangier Ville Railway Station:
Tangier 90000,
Morocco

Consulate of United States:
H9RF+89M,
Bd Moulay Youssef,
Casablanca 20250,
Morocco
Ph: +212 5226-42000

Embassy of Britain:
28 Avenue S.A.R. Sidi Mohammed,
Souissi 10105,
Rabat,
Morocco
Ph: +212 5376-3333

Embassy of Oman:
21 Rue Hamza,
Rabat 10000,
Morocco
Ph: +212 5376-73788

Consulate General of Russia:
31 Rue Soumaya,
Casablanca 20250,
Morocco
Ph: +212 5222-55708

Train Station hotline: 0890 20 30 40

Bus Station Hotline: 0800 09 00 30

Directory enquiry: 160

Summary

Morocco, a country in North Africa bordering Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Morocco is famous for its colorful markets, history beautiful houses and monuments and food. Morocco is on many of people’s bucket list to take a trip here. Morocco is a place where people come for job and tour, so this is a good place to get work as long as you have strong international professional connections. People are friendly and are respectful so it is also expected from tourists to respect their culture and behave accordingly, especially when it comes to clothing. Nightlife here is vibrant with lit lantern streets, music and discos. The city like Marrakesh has plenty of lounge bars from the square Djemma el Fna to Agadir’s. Morocco has some of the unique night spots in the world. Many Places are safe and fun to visit, if you have a local friend or you know where they are and what areas to ignore. Morocco is safe to visit as crime rate is relatively low but it is suggested to stay alert all the time and safeguard your valuable things.