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Unemployment tops youth concerns in Morocco, with one-third considering migration [Survey]
Pan-African research network Afrobarometer has released the results of a survey on the views and priorities of Moroccan youth, based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,200 adult citizens conducted in February 2024. The sample allows for nationally valid results with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Afrobarometer, a non-partisan organization that has been conducting surveys on Africans' views and experiences with democracy, governance, and quality of life since 1999, highlighted that despite rising education levels, employment remains a major challenge for Moroccan youth. A large proportion of young people are not engaged in the labor market. Among respondents aged 18 to 35, the unemployment rate is 63%, with 21% actively seeking work, three times higher than the rate among 36- to 45-year-olds (7%).
When asked about their preferred type of work, nearly half of Moroccan youth (47%) said they would like to start their own businesses, a figure slightly below the national average (50%).
At the same time, many young Moroccans see public sector jobs as appealing. About one-third (31%) said they prefer public sector employment, a significantly higher share than among older adults. By contrast, only a small proportion of young people expressed a preference for working in the private sector (10%) or for non-governmental organizations (3%).
Youth Priorities
As with adults overall, youth identify unemployment as the most pressing issue facing the country. Seven in ten young people (70%) cite the lack of job opportunities among the top three problems the government should address. Although unemployment affects all age groups, it is a more urgent concern for youth, older adults list it as a top priority 15 to 23 percentage points less often.
The rising cost of living ranks second, named by 47% of young respondents, compared to 52%–53% among older groups.
More than four in ten young people (44%) consider drought a major issue, though it is even more pressing for older age groups (49%–63%).
Fewer young respondents mention health (29%) and poverty (11%) as top concerns. Notably, young people are more likely than older adults to view education as a national priority, 44% of youth rank it among their top three concerns, compared to 30%–39% among older groups.
Youth also express critical views of the government's performance in key areas. Fewer than half believe the government is doing «fairly well» or «very well» in improving basic health services (45%) or meeting educational needs (40%).
Evaluations drop further when it comes to reducing poverty (28%) and creating jobs (20%). As for maintaining price stability, only 14% of young respondents positively rate the government's efforts, an even lower share than among older adults.
Outlook and Migration
Despite economic challenges, most Moroccans remain optimistic about the country's direction. Nearly three-quarters of youth (73%) believe Morocco is headed in the «right direction», a level of optimism shared by adults over 46. By contrast, only 59% of those aged 36 to 45 share that sentiment.
Still, dissatisfaction with economic conditions and government performance is fueling growing interest in migration among youth. About 28% of young people say they have thought «a lot» about leaving the country, while 15% have thought about it «somewhat» and 21% «a little». Only 36% say they have never considered it.
The desire to migrate decreases with age: only 9%, 7%, and 3% of successive older age groups say they've seriously considered migration.
However, among youth, this desire has grown over time: the share of those who say they have thought «a lot» about migrating rose from 20% in 2017 to 28% in 2024,an increase of 8 percentage points.
For most young people, economic reasons are the main driver. Among those who have considered migration to any degree, more than half (54%) cite the search for better job opportunities. Others mention the pursuit of better business opportunities (12%), continuing education (12%), escaping poverty (10%), or simply a desire to travel (4%).
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