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North African immigration surges in France as Moroccan residents exceed 600,000

Tuesday 04 February 2025 - 10:20

By: Dakir Madiha

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Moroccan nationals now represent a significant portion of France's immigrant population, with over 603,482 valid residence permits issued in 2023, marking a 2.7% increase from the previous year. This development is part of a broader trend in North African immigration to France, where nationals from the Maghreb region account for 38.5% of all foreign residence permit holders.

According to data from the French Ministry of Interior and INSEE analyzed by Le Point magazine, North African immigrants constitute nearly four out of ten permit holders among the four million third-country nationals in France. Moroccan-born individuals make up 11.7% of all immigrants in the country.

The data reveals Morocco's prominence across various immigration categories. While economic immigration saw 10,801 Moroccan permits issued in 2023 (a 13.9% decrease), family-based immigration resulted in 12,052 permits. Most notably, Morocco leads in student immigration with 12,299 permits issued in 2023.

Visa applications from Morocco reached 241,544 in 2023, contributing to the 2.9 million total applications processed by French authorities. However, Morocco ranks second highest in Schengen visa rejection rates, following only India.

France's total immigrant population stands at 7.3 million, representing 10.7% of the country's population. African-born immigrants constitute 47.7% of this group, with significant contributions from North African countries. Algeria leads with 646,462 valid residence permits (up 3%), while Tunisia holds 289,942 permits (up 5.2%).

The immigration landscape includes specific diplomatic arrangements, such as the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreement, which exclusively governs entry and exit conditions for Algerian nationals. Under this agreement, 31,439 residence certificates were issued to Algerians in 2023, showing a 22.8% increase.

These demographic shifts occur amid ongoing political discussions in France, including recent comments by Prime Minister François Bayrou regarding citizens' perceptions of immigration. A January Ifop-Fiducial poll indicates that 68% of French respondents maintain a favorable view of Morocco.

The current situation reflects complex regional dynamics, with diplomatic tensions between North African countries affecting immigration dialogue and forcing bilateral rather than multilateral negotiations with European nations.