Moroccan Concierge in Spain Earns Six-Figure Salary, Outpacing Local Officials

Upon his arrival in Spain, Hamid settled on the Costa del Sol where he found work in the private security sector. He started as an assistant because he wasn’t qualified for the position. Today, he is the concierge of a luxury residential complex in Estepona (Malaga) and receives a base salary of 94,900 euros. But his monthly income amounts to 97,500 euros, he confides to El Mundo. Thus, the Moroccan earns much more than the mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre (90,815 euros), the highest paid in this Andalusian province, or the president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno (89,275 euros) and his advisors (85,257 euros), analyzes the Spanish media.

Three years ago, residents of the building, during a general assembly, proposed to affiliate Hamid with social security to allow him to have a retirement pension or to take out life insurance for him that would be paid for by the residents. The proposal did not meet the approval of some who believe that the concierge has a "more than adequate salary" and that he already "costs them enough each year". On the other hand, it was well received by others who recognize the many services he provides them such as bringing their car into the garage, tidying their apartment, doing their shopping, etc.

For lack of consensus, no decision was made, to the great disappointment of the porter. "Hamid left the meeting angry and took a long vacation without notifying of his return. He wanted to assert himself," explains a resident. Finally, the proposal was validated and Hamid’s salary was revised upwards, reaching 97,500 euros starting this year. "Hamid works 365 days a year, 24 hours a day and the community members have great trust in him," explains Yolanda Garcia, the residence’s lawyer. "What Hamid does is a function that goes well beyond that of a simple concierge," she adds, justifying the "private favors" that the porter does for the neighbors by the fact that "many have known him for twenty years".