Survey: Moroccan Expats Show Rising Education Levels and Social Mobility Abroad

According to the results of the HCP survey, men are the majority, with more than two-thirds. The women, who represent the remaining third, are between 30 and 39 years old. However, one common point is to be noted: men and women alike emigrate for the first time at an average age of 25. While they were 72.7% single and 26.2% married at the time of the survey, the opposite is now observed. Regarding studies, 33.6% of Moroccan migrants have reached the level of higher education, compared to 9.1% who have dropped out, while 24.5% have completed their studies.

Among these migrants, 17.4% have a secondary level, while 16.3% have a college level and 16.9% have a primary level. As for those with no level of education, they represent 10.2%. They are close to 72% (71.9%) of Moroccan nationality only, while 27.4% have acquired another nationality: 33.3% for women and 24.6% for men.

Among other reasons, more than half (53.7%) leave the kingdom in search of employment, in order to improve their living conditions. Then come the reasons related to studies with 24%. Then, family reunification or marriage, which account for 20.9%.

Nowadays, young people constitute the layer that attempts emigration the most. Sometimes they even brave enormous difficulties by taking risky routes. Among them, there are 28.6% of men against 17.7% of women, and 40.3% of people aged 15 to 29.

As preferred destinations, Europe comes first with 86%. Among other countries, France comes first with 31.1%, followed by Spain (23.4%) and Italy (18.7%). Then North America and the Arab countries bring up the rear. Among the migrants surveyed, 49.4% of men compared to 26.7% of women confirm having transferred money to their families in Morocco during the 12 months preceding the survey.