After Sebta, Spain Faces a Reality: It Still Needs Moroccan Workers

The shortage of labor in Europe constitutes a “genuine pull factor,” says Hein de Haas, professor of sociology at the University of Amsterdam, in an analysis published Sunday, September 13, by El País.

For the migration specialist, the recent arrival of more than 70 000 migrants in Sebta illustrates the failure of a European policy pursued since the 1990s. The tightening of borders has not eliminated irregular migration: it has diverted it toward more dangerous routes.

At the heart of the problem is a gap between economic needs and migration policies. Sectors such as agriculture and care work continue to seek workers, but the channels for recruiting them legally do not meet demand.

This reality directly concerns Morocco. Its proximity to Spain, the ties between the two countries, and the regular needs of the Spanish economy make Moroccan workers a particularly sought-after workforce.

Closed borders, but jobs still available

According to Hein de Haas, European governments maintain a contradiction: they promise to reduce immigration while tolerating the employment of foreigners in an irregular situation in sectors struggling to recruit. This more vulnerable workforce often accepts difficult or poorly paid jobs shunned by some local workers.

The researcher also disputes the idea that Morocco’s economic development would automatically bring emigration to an end. Improvements in education levels and incomes can, on the contrary, give more people the means and the ambition to leave. This phenomenon generally tends to decline only when countries reach a much higher level of development.

The tightening of borders ultimately produces another unexpected effect. When it becomes very difficult to return legally to Europe after going back to Morocco, migrants are less inclined to leave again. Stays that could have remained temporary thus turn into permanent settlements.

For the author, a lasting solution therefore involves creating genuine legal immigration channels, accompanied by increased oversight of working conditions. Without this reform, labor shortages will continue to attract migrants, while the closure of borders will push them into illegality.