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Rabat – A new report by Morocco’s High Commission for Planning (HCP) shows that internal migration continues to reflect an uneven development model.
This shows the need for fairer territorial policies to ensure a more balanced distribution of population and growth opportunities.
A persistent structural phenomenon
According to data from the 2024 General Population and Housing Census, internal migration remains a key driver of Morocco’s demographic dynamics, redistributing populations between regions amid persistent territorial disparities.
The HCP defines internal migration as the movement of a person from one local commune to another for a period of at least six months.
The report notes that nearly 59.7% of Moroccans live in the commune where they were born, while 39.6% have moved at least once within the country during their lifetime. Though the overall pace of mobility has slowed over the past decade, urban areas continue to attract the majority of internal movements.
One of the report’s most striking findings is the growing share of women among internal migrants, who now represent 43.7% compared to 35.5% of men. This shift reflects changes in social and economic behaviors, with more women pursuing education, employment, and family-related moves across cities.
Urban migration now accounts for roughly half of all internal movements, reinforcing the pull of Morocco’s largest cities in offering jobs, better services, and improved living standards.
The regions of Casablanca-Settat, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, and Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima top the list of preferred destinations, because of their strong infrastructure, administrative presence, and economic diversification.
In contrast, regions such as Marrakech-Safi, Fez-Meknes, Beni Mellal-Khenifra, and Drâa-Tafilalet are experiencing population losses due to limited opportunities and weaker development prospects, resulting in demographic deficits.
Rural exodus persists
The HCP report indicates that rural-to-urban migration still accounts for nearly one-third of internal movements, driven by aspirations for better living conditions and access to education and healthcare.
Reverse migration from cities to villages remains rare and is typically linked to retirement or family return.
Morocco’s rural areas continue to experience demographic decline, losing about four million residents to cities, highlighting the growing gap in territorial attractiveness and the dominance of urban expansion in the national demographic landscape.
The report also points to the rise of new migration hubs in the southern provinces, notably Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra and Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, where strong infrastructure investments and major development projects have boosted their appeal.
In some cases, the entry rate of new residents exceeded 60%, illustrating their growing economic vitality.
Call for fairer territorial policies
While internal migration contributes to redistributing population, the HCP warns that it also exposes the imbalance of Morocco’s development model, where job opportunities and growth remain heavily concentrated along the Atlantic axis.
Casablanca-Settat and Rabat-Sale-Kenitra alone posted net migration gains exceeding 800,000 and 480,000 people, respectively, while regions like Marrakech-Safi and Drâa-Tafilalet each lost more than 700,000 inhabitants.
The HCP calls for a reorientation of territorial public policies to promote a more balanced distribution of population and development opportunities. This includes stimulating investment and job creation in less-attractive regions to avoid widening social and spatial inequalities.
