Moroccan nationals rank fourth in the share of European Union residency permits in 2023, according to the latest data from Eurostat.
Moroccans were issued over 179,000 residency permits, out of a total of 3.7 million granted by the EU last year.
The figure marks a significant rise in the number of Moroccans receiving first-time residency permits, up 10% compared to 2022. The only nationalities to surpass this growth rate were Chinese nationals, who saw a 29.7% surge, and Indian nationals, with a 10% increase.
Spain emerged as the primary destination for Moroccan nationals, with nearly half (49.9%) of all EU residency permits granted to Moroccans issued by Spanish authorities.
Family reunification was the dominant reason for Moroccans obtaining residency permits, accounting for 50% of the total.
Across the EU, employment remained the most common purpose for issuing residency permits in 2023, making up 33.8% (1.3 million) of all first-time permits. However, the category saw a slight decline of 0.4% compared to 2022. Family reasons accounted for 26.4% (986,453) of all permits, up 6.4% year-on-year.
Permits issued for other reasons, including international protection, comprised 25% (956,646) of the total, with a 5.3% rise. Meanwhile, permits granted for education purposes represented 14.3% (534,558) of the total and saw the largest overall increase, rising by 13.5%.