Year/Date: 10/06/2013

Cooperation between Morocco and the EU is set to also apply to migration and the movement of people, thanks to an EU-Morocco mobility partnership which was signed on 7 June by Cecilia Malmstrm, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Mr Saad dine El Otmani, the Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Ministers responsible for migration from the nine EU Member States participating in this partnership (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom).

The ETF’s recent survey of migration and skills in Morocco provided up to date information and analysis for the policy makers who tackle the issue of migration. The study Migration and skills was based on a survey of 2600 potential emigrants and 1400 former migrants, carried out in late 2012.

The purpose of the study was to contribute to the improvement of migration policies both in the EU and Morocco by providing high-quality data and analysis.

The ETF has carried out similar studies in Albania, Egypt, Tunisia, Ukraine and Tajikistan (2006-08) and Armenia and Georgia (2011-12).

The aim of the seminar in Rabat was to present and disseminate the results of the study and to discuss its conclusions and recommendations. Among the participants of the seminar were key Moroccan institutions Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, Ministry in charge of the Moroccans Living Abroad — as well as researchers and the representatives of the EU.

Morocco has a long history of labour migration to Europe dating back several decades. Currently there are some 3 million Moroccans who left their country and live abroad, four out of ten among them are women.

The ETFs report recommends several measures to make migration more beneficial for all parties involved: the sending country, the receiving countries and the migrants themselves. These measures concern among others:

access to information on labour market needs in the EU,

recognition of the Moroccan qualifications in the EU,

recognition in Morocco of the migrants skills acquired informally abroad,

support for the returnees including entrepreneurship training,

improved use of remittances, and

access to information about governmental programmes for migrants.

Key facts and figures from the ETF study Migration and skills

42% Moroccans declare intention to emigrate ; regions where highest number of people declares intent to migrate are Agadir (52%) and Marrakesh (49%)

Only 9% of the potential migrants has proper information. documents and money to emigrate

The main destinations are France (32% of returnees), Spain (21%), and Italy (15%)

Moroccans prefer long-term emigration. 53% of returnees stayed abroad more than 7 years

Economic situation is the main declared reason for migration. but the level of economic well-being doesnt influence the propensity to migration

Most migrants work in hotels and restaurants, in construction and agriculture

60% of returnees worked at the time of the survey, while only 46% of potential migrants had a job, which suggest migrations positive impact on employability

31% of returnees, mainly those with higher education, benefited from training while abroad

62% of migrants said they learnt a language or acquired other technical or professional skills, but only one third of migrants had their Moroccan qualifications officially recognised

Some 45% migrants worked without contract abroad, which limited their entitlement to welfare or pension

Migration doesnt improve the standard of living of the returnees: 74% of them were poor

Returnees are more entrepreneurial. 26% of returnees have their own business (compared to 20% among the rest) and 20% employ workers (compared with 7% among the rest)

There is little awareness of the governments programmes for migrants

Moroccans return to their country mainly for family reasons (26%); only 5% come back to invest

Profile of a typical Moroccan migrant

When he left Morocco for France or Spain he was a young single man. He stayed abroad for about ten years to earn money. He didnt know about governmental programmes for the migrants and counted on his family and friends to find work. He worked on a permanent basis or occasionally, and sent home part of the money he earned. He was jobless for ten months. He learnt the language of the host country, but he didnt acquire additional skills or qualifications. Mainly for family reasons, he returned to Morocco.

Photo on the homepage (c) Alex E. Proimos — Flickr Creative Commons