Morocco Sees 72% Surge in Foreign Residents, French Retirees Fuel Growth

The number of foreigners in Morocco is now 148,152 people, an impressive increase of 71.86% compared to 2014. Several reasons explain this strong increase. First, the regularization of many African migrants, especially sub-Saharan Africans, between 2014 and 2017.

Nearly 50,000 people were able to obtain legal status, including Syrian refugees. Then, Morocco is increasingly attracting French people, especially retirees, who choose to settle there for their retirement.

The Casablanca-Settat region concentrates the largest foreign community, with 60,902 people. Rabat-Salé-Kénitra comes in second (29,233 people). They are followed by Souss-Massa (14,001 people), Marrakech-Safi (13,893 people) and Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima (9,677 people).

The regions of Fès-Meknès, Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab and the Oriental welcome 6,729, 5,846 and 3,625 foreigners respectively. Finally, the regions of Béni Mellal-Khénifra, Drâa-Tafilalet, Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra and Guelmim-Oued Noun each have less than 2,000 foreigners.