How Many Foreigners Live in Morocco?

According to an article in the Huffington Post, more than 84,000 foreigners reside in Morocco, or about 0.25% of the Moroccan population. The article quoted a note from Morocco's High Commissioner for Planning (HCP), published Monday, December 18, on the occasion of International Migrants Day

Based on the 2014 general census of population and housing, these figures should be revised upwards following the two massive migrant regularisation operations that occurred in 2014 and 2016.

According to the HCP, the foreign population in Morocco has increased significantly compared to 2004. More than 32,500 foreigners have settled in the Moroccan territory, an overall increase of 63.3% in ten years. In all, out of 33.8 million inhabitants, the number of foreigners residing in Morocco has reached 84,001 inhabitants, or a proportion of 0.25% of the total Moroccan population.

The majority of foreigners residing in Morocco come from African countries (41.6%) - 64.5% from sub-Saharan countries and 31.9% from the Maghreb - and from European countries (40%). Among the most represented nationalities, the French are in the lead (25.4%), followed by Senegalese (7.2%), Algerians (6.8%) and Syrians (6.2%).

15.2% of foreigners come from Asian countries (82.8% from the Middle East) and 3.2% from other continents, the majority (76.9%) from American countries.

Most foreigners (more than 95%) live in urban areas, and almost two-thirds of foreigners are concentrated in six major cities in Morocco: Casablanca (28.6%) and Rabat (14.8%). ), Marrakech (8%), Tangier-Assilah (6.1%), Agadir-Ida-Ou-Tanane (4.4%) and Fez (4.2% or 3509).

A rather elderly and literate population

Foreigners residing in Morocco are, for a little more than half of them, married. There are slightly more men (56.5%) than women (43.5%). The foreign population is relatively older than the Moroccan population, notes the HCP. Thus, 17.8% are under 15 years against 28.2% for the Moroccan population. 66.5% are between 15 and 59 years old (compared to 62.4% of Moroccans) and 15.7% are 60 and over (compared to 9.4%).

Foreigners have a fairly high level of literacy: 95.1% of them are literate, 84% of foreigners aged 15 and over have at least secondary level, and 51% have the higher level. Nevertheless, not everyone works: 41.3% are employed, 52% are inactive, and 6.4% are unemployed. More than half of the employed are employed in the private sector, just over 20% are self-employed, and 11.6% are employers.

Nearly one out of two households with at least one foreigner is mixed. 73.1% of the heads of these households are of foreign nationality, against 26.9% of Moroccan nationality. The average household size is 3.2 people. Finally, more than one in three foreign households own their homes. Foreigners live for the majority (47.8%) in apartments, 25.1% in modern Moroccan houses, and 20.3% in villas.

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