Moroccan Workers in France Hit Hard by COVID-19 Job Losses, Report Shows

A report recently published by the French Ministry of Labor indicates that the unemployment rate has reached an unprecedented level since the 2009 global economic crisis, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, the report notes that unemployment has hit the small trades sectors, particularly the services sector where immigrants, especially Moroccans, Algerians and Senegalese, work.

Nationals of these three countries who have lost their jobs have come to apply for social assistance. The French government has thus spent millions of euros to help millions of people who have lost their jobs, including thousands of MREs, reports Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.

In contrast, France has recruited dozens of Moroccan doctors to fill the deficit in healthcare staff and skills in hospitals.

A bit of fortune also for North African immigrants to cope with the shortage of seasonal workers. Thousands of Moroccans have worked in harvesting, in the vineyards of Bordeaux and the wheat farms in southern France. By calling on immigrants, including those in irregular situations, France was able to save its agricultural season and avoid major losses, writes the newspaper.