Morocco: new report sheds light on link between skills and migration

ENPI INFO CENTRE

Forty-two per cent of Moroccans would like to emigrate, but only 9% have the proper information, documents and money to do so, according to the results of the largest study of migration in Morocco to date, released by the European Training Foundation (ETF) today. Of those that did leave, 62% said they learnt a language or acquired other technical or professional skills while abroad, the survey found.

The study “Migration and skills” combined desk research with a survey of 2,600 potential emigrants and 1,400 labour migrants who returned to the country.

The purpose of the study is 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 report was released at a seminar in Rabat attended by key Moroccan institutions – Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, Ministry in charge of the Moroccans Living Abroad – as well as the representatives of the EU and researchers.

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

Key facts and figures from the study:

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 doesn’t 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 migration’s 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 doesn’t 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 government’s programmes for migrants
Moroccans return to their country mainly for family reasons (26%); only 5% come back to invest

The ETF’s 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 Moroccan qualifications in the EU,
recognition in Morocco of migrants’ skills acquired informally abroad,
support for returnees including entrepreneurship training,
improved use of remittances, and
access to information about governmental programmes for migrants.

The European Training Foundation is an agency of the European Union established to contribute to the development of the education and training systems of the EU partner countries. With an annual budget of €18 million, its mission is to help transition and developing countries to harness the potential of their human capital through the reform of education, training and labour market systems in the context of the EU’s external relations policy. (EU Neighbourhood Info)

Press release

Summary of Report on Migration and Skills in Morocco (FR)

European Training Foundation

EU Neighbourhood Policy Info Centre webpage –migration

Euromed Migration III – fiche and news