Working in Morocco

While Morocco is mainly a Muslim country, its culture and environment are more lenient compared to other Muslim nations in the Middle East. Morocco has a liberal economy that is diverse and open-market oriented.

Since the adaptation of a new Constitution in 2011, Morocco began laying out foundations for a more democratic society. It became a modernised country and a major role player in the economic affairs of Africa. Morocco experienced a GDP growth of 4.2% in 2013 and currently possesses a Gross Domestic Product of USD 145.864 billion which is the 58^th highest in the world in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). Despite the high unemployment rate of 10% in 2016, this country still managed to be the 68^th top country in the 2017 World Bank Group Ease of Doing Business Index.

Morocco’s Top Industries

The service sector is accountable for 40.5% or nearly half of the national industry and GDP. It mainly consists of manufacturing, construction and mining. Other leading sectors that recorder a remarkable increase in revenue are telecommunications, textile and tourism. Morocco’s workforce is approximated at 11.53 million. Although the agriculture sector contributes only 14% of the country’s gross domestic product, it employs about 39.1% of the Moroccan population.

Average Salary

As of April 2014, the minimum wage in Morocco for the private sector is DH 13.46 or USD 1.35 per hour while those working in the public sector have a minimum monthly minimum wage of MAD 3,000 or USD 301.74. The average salary, on the other hand, is at MAD 22,788 or USD 2,292.01 per month. This figure can still significantly vary based on the expatriate’s professional qualifications, skills and occupation. Below are some of the job categories in Morocco along with their average monthly salaries:

Working Conditions

The standard work week in Morocco is 48 hours a week, or eight hours a day, Mondays to Fridays. The majority of the businesses, offices and establishments start work from 9 AM to 5 PM. Despite Morocco being a Muslim country, it does not follow the standard workweek of several Muslim nations in the Middle East, which starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday. All employees are entitled to 18 working days of paid annual leave every year and 13 public holidays, including Muslim holidays such as Ramadan and Eid Al-Adha.

While the official language of Morocco is Arabic, the working sector widely uses French to conduct everyday business. As such, it is advisable for foreign nationals to brush up on their French or start learning the language, as this will be essential if they want to find a job in Morocco. Private sector companies that use English as the medium of communication are few and far between.

The Moroccan Income Tax

For taxation purposes, all expats who stay in Morocco for a period of more than 183 days per year are considered full-time residents and are subject to pay income tax on their worldwide income. The income tax rate in Morocco is on a progressive scale, and taxes paid by workers depend on their salary bracket. Income taxes in Morocco are levied up to 38%.