Essential Employment Paperwork in Morocco
Morocco is blessed with a vibrant and lively work environment. It boasts a rapidly developing economy that continues to lure international companies to establish their businesses thus, opening employment opportunities to the locals and aspiring professional from all around the world. Expats who are about to pursue their careers in this North-African country should begin their journey by knowing which documents to prepare before flying in.
Foreign nationals coming from EU and EEA member states and several other countries do not need a visa to enter Morocco while those who require a visa need to apply at the Moroccan Embassy in their home country. In general, expats who are aspiring to find work in Morocco do not need to secure a job position before arrival in the country. However, they are required to apply for a carte du sejour (residence card) if they want to stay longer than 90 days and for purposes of finding employment. One of the requirements for application for a residence card is proof of adequate finances or income, such as a bank statement.
"Getting a residency visa was a tough one here as I had to visit the police station multiple times. On top of that, there was a language barrier as I don’t speak French and my Arabic was very limited." - Nurulhuda Albukhari D’Cruz, Expat in Morocco
Attestation de Ttravail or Work Permit
A work permit is one of the requirements when applying for a Moroccan residence card. To secure this permit, the prospective employer or the foreign nationals themselves should apply for it at the Agencenationale de promotion de l’emploi et des competences (National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills) or ANAPEC for short. All employment contracts of expats will be evaluated by ANAPEC to ensure that it complies with the Moroccan employment law. This law protects the local job market whereas ANAPEC must determine first that no Moroccan national or permanent resident can fill the job vacancy before deeming the foreign national suitable for the position.
Work visas/permits are usually valid for three years and takes about seen to 21 days to be processed. Below are the essential documents that a foreign national must submit to the Ministere de l’Emploi (Ministry of Labour) in Rabat for the application of a work permit:
- Two completed work permit application forms, with the appropriate stamps
- Copy of the foreign national’s passport
- Two passport pictures
- Copy of the foreign national’s diplomas
- Copy of the work contract that is legalized at the local government administration office
- Business letter from the employer