Moroccan Migrant Finds Success as Plumber in Spain’s Basque Country

The young Moroccan is determined to achieve his goal of finding a job to support himself and help his family in Morocco. He currently works as a plumber in Anoeta (Basque Country). "Most of the compatriots who came with me did not survive. Some are still living on the street, others are trying to integrate but have no papers," says Youssef Rahmani, who is now of legal age.

He spent two years in the provincial council’s minor center in Uba, where he learned Spanish and took the necessary steps to obtain a work permit. This was thanks to the reform of the Immigration Regulations approved by the Spanish government on October 19 last year and which came into force in the first two weeks of November. A reform that could benefit around 2,000 unaccompanied minors and former young people from Euskadi, according to Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

Before this reform, the law required a work contract before granting a work permit to these young migrants. Today, obtaining a residence and work permit is much easier and faster. Moreover, the authorities have set up a professional integration program for vulnerable young people aged 16 to 23 like Youssef. The young Moroccan seized this opportunity and has already signed an internship contract with a plumbing company in Anoeta.

"The advantage of this job is that it is very varied. Every day you have to do different things," says Youssef, pleased to be able to gain experience after his training in plumbing and electricity at the Peñascal cooperative. "We are very satisfied with Youssef’s work and have asked him to continue his internship until he regularizes his administrative situation so that we can sign him a contract," said Olatz Zuloaga, one of the partners of the company that employs Youssef.