The Moroccan government has approved a decree providing for an increase in the legal minimum wage for workers in the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.
The increase is set at 5% on the basis of an agreement reached between the government, trade unions and the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, and will cover the period 2022-2024.
As confirmed at a press conference by Shakib Lahlou, president of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, this wage increase will begin to be implemented in September, as stipulated by the government.
The agreement also provides for a 10% increase in the minimum wage for the industrial, commercial and service sectors over two years. A measure that seeks to unify the minimum wage in the industrial, commercial, self-employed and agricultural sectors.
Second increase
This is the second increase in the minimum wage approved by the Moroccan government in the last two years. The previous one, which came into effect in September 2022, provided for a 5% increase in the minimum wage for the industrial, commercial and self-employed sectors, and a 10% increase for the agricultural sector.
With the new increase, the minimum daily wage in the agricultural sector will rise from 84.37 dirhams to 88.58 dirhams, equivalent to 2,303.08 dirhams per month.
In the industrial, commerce and services sectors, the minimum hourly wage will rise from 15.55 dirhams to 16.3 dirhams. In monthly terms, the increase is from 2,990 to 3,111.39 dirhams.
These increases are intended to alleviate the impact on the population of rising inflation, which closed August at 5%, after reaching 4.9% in July.
Inflation is having a particular impact on the cost of living for the average citizen, making it difficult to access basic essentials such as vegetables.
During the first eight months of 2023, food prices have risen by 10.4%, which is seriously affecting household budgets.
