Immigration and Its Impact on the Host Countries

Morocco has been known as an emigration country for the last four decades even though there is a great lack in surveys on this phenomenon. A small number of economic studies have been carried out on the impact of Moroccan emigration to foreign countries especially European ones and to North America, let alone the emigration of Moroccans to the Middle East countries.

However, it is said that this emigration was mainly oriented towards France, the ex-coloniser of the country, to the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany where there was a sustained demand for migrant labour.

Moroccan immigrants are considered as the largest and most dispersed groups and communities in Europe. Recent researches showed that the number of Moroccans living abroad has gone beyond 3 million citizens which refers to almost one tenth of the population.

There are 3 main Moroccan migration regions from which thousands of Moroccan have emigrated. The Rif Mountains and particularly its Eastern part, the Southwest region called Souss-the valley near Agadir and Southeast of the high Atlas.

In recent years, as new labour opportunities have arisen in Southern Europe-mainly in Italy and Spain, regions such Khenifra in the Middle Atlas mountains, South of Khouribga and the region South of Tangiers-to name Larache-emigrating to Spain and Italy.

In spite of the global economic crises and the recent impact of the world economic crisis, Morocco has not been affected thank to the migrants remittances. Every year, Morocco receives about $4.2 from different European countries, Middle East countries and North American countries such as: USA and Canada. These factors make of Morocco one of the first remittance receivers among the developing countries and the largest remittances receiver per capita. These remittances represent up to 6.5% of the GNP (gross national product) and around 20% of all imports in goods and services. In some years, (2001 for example ) these remittances exceed revenues from tourism...