Labor Shortage Threatens Morocco’s 2030 World Cup Construction Projects

Construction projects in different regions of the kingdom, including those related to the preparations for the 2030 World Cup, are experiencing delays due to the labor shortage. "The construction and public works sector in Morocco is facing real challenges that threaten the smooth running of projects and their delivery deadlines, with a severe lack of manpower to execute the projects on time," confirmed a contractor and owner of a construction company in Casablanca, to Hespress. According to him, this situation increases the contractual risks faced by companies, as delays lead to significant financial losses and damage the reputation of companies. To address the labor shortage, some companies resort to workers already on site.

The increasing use of workers to compensate for the labor shortage, by increasing their working hours, increases the pressure on them, which leads to a decrease in their productivity, thus aggravating the problem instead of solving it, he explains, noting that local entrepreneurs find themselves in a difficult position compared to foreign companies that rely heavily on technology and mechanization. "Some companies have resorted to an unconventional solution consisting of employing migrant labor from sub-Saharan Africa. Although this option mitigates the shortage in the short term, it raises questions about its sustainability, particularly due to the need to train this workforce and ensure its adaptation to the requirements of the local market, particularly with regard to the legality of its stay and work in Morocco," he adds.

Based on these observations, the entrepreneur calls on the government employment services to intervene urgently to bridge the gap between supply and demand in the sector. "This situation requires a comprehensive and rapid response from all stakeholders, government, companies, training institutions and employment agencies, to ensure the human resources necessary for the smooth running of construction sites," adds a human resources manager. According to him, the incentives offered by the 2030 World Cup sites do not exceed the legal minimum wage and regular social security registration, with all companies that have won public tenders for the construction of infrastructure and equipment for the event being required to comply with these conditions previously defined in the specifications.

He believes that vocational training appears to be one of the key solutions to this challenge. It is therefore important to train a skilled workforce to meet the needs of the market. Another solution: improving working conditions, in terms of both wages and the work environment, has become a necessity to make this sector more attractive to the local workforce. He also proposes to reduce dependence on human labor, by prioritizing technology, including the use of mechanization and innovation in construction processes. A solution that would increase productivity and reduce costs in the long term.