The Moroccan immigration: from the 20th century until today

 

Moroccan immigration to France is a phenomenon that began in the 1950s and 1960s, when many Moroccan workers were invited to come to France to help rebuild the country after World War II. Over the decades, the number of Moroccans living in France has continued to grow, and today, Moroccan immigrants form the second largest immigrant community France. Moroccan immigrants to France generally come from Morocco in search of better economic opportunities and quality of life. Many are skilled workers and are involved in sectors such as construction, agriculture, health and services.

More than 5 million Moroccans living abroad

Four fifths of the world's Moroccans live in Europe, mainly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Although Moroccan emigration abroad really took off just after the country's independence in 1956, it has undergone significant changes over time. The differences in the nature and extent of Moroccan migration make it one of the most interesting of the second half of the 20th century. The profile of Moroccan emigration has undergone great changes over time, linked to the political, economic, social and even geographical context.

The ‘Marcellin-Fontanet ’circulars established that only foreigners with a work contract and access to housing would be granted a resident card, and forbade automatic regularization of clandestine workers. The issuance of the residence card is subject to the production of a one-year work contract, certified by the labor authorities, and a certificate of accommodation. 

The duration of residence and work permits is harmonized: they will now have the same period of validity and will expire on the same date - which means, in concrete terms, that the loss of the work permit will entail the loss of the residence permit. 

The Marcellin-Fontanet circulars announced a turning point in migration policy, since two years later the authorities decided to officially suspend labor immigration. 

Aftermath

With the increase in arrivals, the housing situation for immigrants became unbearable. At the end of the 1960s, the housing conditions of immigrants were still very poor. Very little was done for families, and one in five households lived in makeshift or temporary housing.

The crisis caused by the 1973 oil shock put a strain on European economies and led countries to tighten immigration conditions or stop it altogether. Faced with this difficult situation that characterizes the traditional host countries of Moroccan workers, other destinations began to attract the attention of Moroccan candidates to emigrate in the 1980s: such as Italy and Spain, which offered new markets in the 1990s. In the 1980s, another category of Moroccan immigrants developed, mainly in France and the Netherlands. These were Moroccan students and opponents of the regime who had fled the state of emergency in Morocco. The statistics collected by UNESCO make it possible to estimate the number of Moroccan students by country of registration. This information is invaluable because it shows very precise trends. From the time of Morocco's independence until the 1970s, France, which was the main destination country at the time, developed a generous development aid policy that included facilitating the reception of nationals of former colonies.

The brain drain

The statistics collected by UNESCO make it possible to estimate the number of Moroccan  students by country of registration. This information is invaluable because it shows very precise trends. From the time of Morocco's independence until the 1970s, France, which was the main destination country at the time, developed a generous development aid policy that included facilitating the reception of nationals of former colonies. But, from the end of this period, its policy was reversed. We can clearly see 

here, through this graphic, the trend changing. Judged too numerous, these students from the South were accused by the Minister of Education of the time, who was at the same time confronted with the massification of higher education, of lowering the quality of education. Moroccan students, like other applicants from the South, had to pass a language test and were subject to stricter administrative controls when applying for visas, residence permits, university registration and housing. In particular, they must prove that they have sufficient financial resources.

From the 1990s, another turnaround, and it is now necessary to attract young foreign talent in order to improve France's place in international competition. The rules for entry and renewal of student stays are becoming more flexible. This reversal benefited Moroccan students 

over the 1998-2001 period. The number of new Moroccan students doubled in three years. The demographic peak of the Moroccan presence in France was in 2002, when more than 28,500 students were registered in the universities alone. From 2001 to the present day, the introduction of a student reception system designed to facilitate the enrolment process - notably through the creation of the EduFrance agency in 1998, which became CampusFrance in 2007 - selects foreign student applicants with an increasing preference for EU nationals and those from emerging countries. 

This is in line with France's more general policy of "selective immigration", also implemented over the same period by other European Union countries. Students from economically promising countries such as China and Brazil are preferred to those from the poorer Souths. This explains why the number of Moroccan students declined in France and Spain after 2002, in Belgium after 2003, and in Germany after 2004.

This broader international migration is an indication that the current generation of Moroccan migrants is different, economically and culturally, from previous generations. We believe that this new performance must be linked to a transformation of Moroccan society itself, which is probably better educated and financially better endowed than before.

Inès Moustaghfir (Cergy)