In most countries, once you have your work visa, you are … free to work.
Not in Morocco, or at least not completely, at least as far as salaried employment is соnсеrnеԁ.
The different documents you need are
- an employment contract approved by the Ministry of Labour
- a work visa, only if you are not exempt from a visa to enter Morocco
- a residence permit.
in this order.
The employment contract approved by the Ministry is the essential document
When you first enter Morocco, you can only apply for a work permit by presenting this valid work contract.
This is the document that justifies your residence permit in Morocco. When you are newly arrived in Morocco (with, for example, a one-year or less than five-year permit), losing your job theoretically implies losing your rеѕіԁеnсе permit.
So, whatever happens, Morocco does not allow you to stay in the country to work without checking that you already have a job.
This is very different from (fewer and fewer) countries where the work visa allows you to come and look for a job there and especially to stay if you become unemployed.
The residence permit is granted because you have a work contract. Without a work contract, there is nо rеѕіԁеnсе permit.
Case 1: You do not need a visa to enter Morocco
The list of countries whose nationals do not need a visa to enter Morocco is here.
You enter Morocco, sign your work contract, wait for it to be approved by the Ministry of Labour, and then, only then, apply for your residence permit.
The filter is done at the time of the approval of the work contract. If it is validated, your residency card will be granted almost automatically. Unless your criminal record, a new document, shows significant convictions in the eyes of Moroccans.
Case 2: You need a visa to enter Morocco
In this case, your employer must apply for an employment contract before уоu еntеr Morocco.
This is not necessarily easy, as he must send scanned documents and originals.
Validation takes place within one month.
Once your CTE has been validated, you can apply for a work visa, of which the work contract will be a proof.
And once you have arrived in Morocco, you can apply for your residence permit on the same basis.
Important note: the reason for the residence permit must be identical to that of the visa.
It is therefore not possible to apply for a business visa, come to Morocco to sort out all the administrative problems and then apply directly for a visa.
Case 3: You are in Morocco for another reason, but you want to work
You already have a residence card for another reason, for example as the spouse of a Moroccan, for business, etc.
In this case, whether or not you need a visa, you can have your work contract approved directly. In some cases you will even be exempt from the Anapec procedure.
You do not need to change the reason for your registration card, as you are already resident in Morocco, for another reason than your work contract.
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1 Comment
The “Work Visa Morocco” page appears to be a valuable resource for individuals seeking employment opportunities in Morocco. Navigating the requirements and procedures for obtaining a work visa can be complex, especially in a foreign country, so having clear guidance like this is incredibly helpful. As someone interested in international work opportunities, I appreciate platforms that offer comprehensive information to assist individuals in their pursuit of employment abroad. Kudos to Life-in-Morocco.com for providing such a valuable resource to support individuals in their journey towards working in Morocco!