Morocco is the westernmost country in North Africa’s Maghreb region, officially known as the Kingdom of Morocco. It has land boundaries with Algeria to the east and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Morocco also claims the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Peón de Velez de la Gomera, as well as a number of small Spanish-controlled islands off the coast.
Morocco has a population of 37 million people and covers an area of 710,850 km2. Its official languages are Arabic and Berber, and the main religion is Islam.
French and a Moroccan dialect of Arabic are also commonly spoken. Moroccan culture is a vibrant mix of Berber, Arab, and European cultures, with Rabat as the capital and Casablanca as the largest city.
Since Idris I established the first Moroccan state in 788 AD, the country has been governed by a series of independent dynasties, reaching its zenith in the 11th and 12th centuries under the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties, when it dominated much of Iberia.
The Portuguese expanded their territory to include parts of Morocco starting in the 15th century. Nonetheless, the Moroccan dynasties of Marinid and Saadi opposed foreign dominance in other ways, and Morocco was the only North African country to avoid Ottoman occupation.
In 1631, the Alaouite dynasty seized power and continues to rule Morocco today.
Its strategic position near the Mediterranean’s mouth, however, gradually drew the attention of European powers. Morocco was divided into French and Spanish protectorates in 1912, with Tangier serving as a foreign region.
It regained independence and reunified in 1956, and since then has been a relatively stable and prosperous country, with Africa’s fifth-largest economy.
Morocco claims sovereignty of the non-autonomous Western Sahara region, which it has dubbed the Southern Provinces.
After Spain decided to decolonize the region and hand it over to Morocco and Mauritania in 1975, a civil war erupted between the two countries and some of the locals. Mauritania relinquished its claim to the region in 1979, but the war raged on.
A cease-fire was reached in 1991, but the question of sovereignty remained unresolved.
Morocco now controls two-thirds of the nation and attempts to resolve the conflict have so far failed to break the diplomatic impasse.
Morocco is a semi-constitutional unitary monarchy with a democratically elected parliament. The country has considerable clout in both Africa and the Arab world and is regarded as a global middle force. The Arab League, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the African Union are all members of the nation. Morocco’s King wields extensive executive and legislative authority, especially over the military, foreign policy, and religious affairs.
Date | Holiday name |
January 1 | New year’s day |
January 11 | Proclamation of Independence |
April 22, 23 & 24 | Eid Sghir Holiday |
May 1 | Labor Day |
June 29 & 30 | Eid Kbir Holiday |
July 19 | Fatih Muharram |
August 14 | Oued Ed Dahab day |
August 20 | Revolution Day |
August 21 | Youth Day |
September 27 | Eid El Mawled |
November 6 | Green March day |
November 18 | Independence Day |
After six months of continuous service, an employee accumulates 1.5 days of leave per month up to a standard entitlement of 18 paid days of annual leave. This can be increased to 24 days per year for employees under the age of 18 years old.
Morocco recognizes 12 public holidays.
Employees are entitled to 4 days (or eight half days) of paid sick leave per year. If the absence lasts more than four days, the employee must inform the employer of the probable duration of absence and provide a medical certificate justifying the absence reason.
Female employees are generally entitled to 14 weeks of 100% paid maternity leave. They may also take an additional one year of unpaid leave
Fathers are generally entitled to 3 days of paid paternity leave.
Female employees are generally entitled to 14 weeks of 100% paid maternity leave. They may also take an additional one year of unpaid leave. Fathers are generally entitled to 3 days of paid paternity leave.
– Marriage Leave:
The employee: 4 days
Child of the employee or of a child from a previous marriage of the employee’s spouse: 2 days
– Bereavement Leave:
Spouse, of a child, of a small child, of an ascendant of the employee or of a child from a previous marriage of the employee’s spouse: 3 days
Brother, a sister of the employee, a brother or sister of the employee’s spouse or an ascendant of the spouse: 2 days
– Leave for Circumcision: 2 days
– Leave for surgery on the spouse or dependent child: 2 days
Employers must have sufficient reasons and provide notice before terminating an employee.
Less than 1-year service the notice period is one month. Between 1 year to 5 years’ service, the notice period is two months. More than five years’ service, the notice period is three months.
Employers should pay severance pay (if applicable) if an employee has at least six months’ service, at 96 hours of salary per year of service, increasing to 144 hours per year after five years of service, 192 hours per year after ten years, and 240 hours per year after 15 years.
The probation period is set to three months for executive positions. The probation period is set to a month and a half for office employees. The probation period is set to 15 days for on-site laborers. The probation period can be renewed once.
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.
Overtime hours are limited to two per day and 80 per year. With consent from the Worker’s Council, overtime may be increased to 100 hours per year. Overtime pay is 125 percent of the basic rate during the day (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.). Overtime is paid at 150 percent of the basic rate for labor performed at night (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.). Weekends and public holidays, overtime is doubled to 150 percent for daytime work and 200 percent for evening work, in addition to getting an alternate day of rest. The complete amount of overtime must be paid on the salary’s next pay date.
Morocco’s healthcare system is a mix of public and private. All Moroccans are required to join in AMO, the country’s public healthcare system, which provides basic healthcare as well as some hospital treatment.
Access to private clinics is also possible with private insurance.
Company pensions, extra vacation, childcare allowance, transportation allowance, supplementary insurance, fitness allowance, and training allowance are all common employee perks in Morocco.
31%
38%
20%
Foreigners who desire to work in Morocco must first get a work permit (attesta- tion de travail) from the National Agency for the Promotion and Employment of Skills (Agence Nationale de Promotion de l’Emploi et des Competences), abbreviated as ANAPEC.
The documents required for getting a work permit include:
(1)Application forms with the appropriate stamps.
(2)Passport copies.
(3)Photographs, passport-size.
(4)Employment contract copy (legalized by the government office); and
(5)Copies of degrees and diplomas.
All firms intending to sponsor foreign nationals for work in Morocco must use the online site Teacher, according to the Ministry of Labor and Professional Integration. Following completion of the online application, the system will create three copies of the E-Work Permit forms, which must be printed, stamped, and signed by the foreign national and the authorized signatory of the sponsoring organization. Both signatures must be notarized and recognized by the corre- sponding Moroccan diplomatic post overseas.
Once completed, the foreigner must submit the original paperwork as well as the required documentation to the Moroccan Department of Employment for approval. Once this is completed, the foreigner is free to enter the nation and begin working.
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