Employment in Casablanca

Casablanca is experiencing a period of growth and development, meaning there is work available for expatriates moving to Casablanca in large corporations, industry, education, IT and customer service, as well as in private tutoring and nannying. Expatriates moving to Casablanca who speak French or Arabic may find working in the city easier.

Local Economy

Many leading Moroccan corporations have their headquarters and manufacturing plants in Casablanca, leading to a good local economy. Around 56% of industrial labor is accounted for in the city, contributing around 44% of the industrial output for Morocco.

The main export is phosphate, but other industries in Casablanca include fishing and fish canning, furniture production, building materials, electronics, food processing, drinks manufacturing and cigarette production.

Aside from manufacturing, expatriates moving to Casablanca for work will also find 30% of the Moroccan banking network and many other service-based organizations based in the city. The Casablanca Technopark is Morocco’s first industrial park and has a mission to develop Morocco’s information technology offering. On top of this, there is a consistent tourist trade, leading to a decent hospitality industry within the city.

Job Hunting in Casablanca

Although not entirely essential if working in a large corporation, one key skill to have when job hunting in Casablanca is speaking French or Arabic. Expatriates moving to Casablanca with only English as a first language can find work, mainly in teaching English, in international schools, or working in call centers or the hospitality industry.

Most job vacancies are posted online, either on portals, including the Department of Labor website, called Anapec, or directly on the job pages of specific companies. Roles are typically posted in French, which is a good indication that some modicum of French will be required.

Income Taxation in Casablanca

Expatriates living in Casablanca are considered full-time residents if they stay in Morocco for a minimum of 183 days in any given year. They will be taxed on worldwide income above 30,000 MAD to include salaries and wages, investment, income from property rent or sales, capital gains, annuities and pensions. Income tax rates vary between 10% and 38%, dependent on total income.

Other taxes that expats living in Casablanca should be aware of include property tax, which is figured out proportionally, and VAT. Morocco holds reciprocal tax agreements with a number of other nations to ensure that expats living in Morocco are not taxed twice on their income by both their home country and Morocco. Moreover, social security contributions are withheld monthly from the salary.