Work and Travel in Morocco

VOLUNTEER AND PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN MOROCCO FOR TRAVELLERS

Morocco is fast becoming the number one tourist destination in North Africa. But if you want to go beyond the tours of the night markets and the desert, you should look into volunteering opportunities in Morocco. You won’t find those in the travel guides to Morocco.

But in this guide we’re going to show you the most exciting options for work and travel in Morocco, as well as when to go and where you should be in the country. Are you ready to work in Morocco?

1. Support Poor Families During Ramadan in Morocco

The four weeks of Ramadan every year is a time of fasting and celebration throughout the Muslim world. But many families don’t have the chance to get involved in the festivities. Volunteer programmes across the urban areas of Morocco are dedicated to giving poor families and homeless children the chance to enjoy Ramadan.

If you’re willing to observe Islamic customs during this period and you’re an outgoing individual, this is the ideal way to work and travel in Morocco.

2. Educate Women in Rabat

Morocco is slowly becoming better when it comes to creating an educated populace. However, women have often been excluded from education in the past. This is all changing. Private organisations and the government are working together to bring education to women all over the country.

You’ll be teaching in English or French when you travel in Morocco. The lessons are easy and you don’t need any qualifications. Remember that you will often be teaching these women how to read and write for the first time.

What could be more rewarding than that?

3. Be a Sports Coach in Marrakesh

Sports are fast becoming extremely popular in Morocco. You’ll notice young people become increasingly interested in playing rugby, basketball, and football. If you enjoy working with young people, this is the perfect position for you as you work and travel in Morocco.

All you have to do is know the rules, have a reasonable level of fitness, and love the game you want to teach.

VOLUNTEER WORK VISA / PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR MOROCCO

Morocco is one of the easiest of all African countries to enter. Citizens of the UK, the European Union (EU), North America, Russia, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand can enter for 90 days without a visa. There’s also no requirement to be out of the country for a specific period of time before you can return.

The exceptions to this rule are passport holders of Singapore and Hong Kong who can only enter for 30 days.

South African citizens must apply for a formal visa from a Moroccan embassy. The same goes for the majority of developing countries.

SEASONAL BACKPACKER SKILLS NEEDED IN MOROCCO

SPRING WORK

The spring season in Morocco is the shoulder season and is one of the ideal times to visit the country. The shoulder season is when the bulk of the tourists arrive and it’s the perfect time to work in the bustling tourism industry.

Many guesthouses and hostels are happy to take on volunteers at this time of year. These guesthouses in places like Marrakesh, Casablanca, and Fez are available in abundance and easy to secure a position in.

You may even be able to find work in the bigger resort areas.

SUMMER JOBS

The summertime in Morocco is the height of the dry season. Temperatures in the direction of the Sahara can be extremely hot and make it nearly impossible to do much of anything in the middle of the day.

The best place to travel in Morocco is the coast. It presents a Mediterranean climate, which is far more tolerable than the rest of the country.

It’s possible to work as a surf instructor at this time of year, as many Westerners take their holidays in the summer. Places like Taghazout and Imsouane are just some of the more popular destinations. Most of the time you just need to demonstrate competency, but recognised qualifications will always stand you in good stead.

AUTUMN

The second shoulder season takes place in autumn. All the positions in the ‘Spring’ section will continue to be valid at this time of year.

An additional backpacker skill required in Morocco at this time of year is language teaching. Both English teaching and French teaching is in demand because the school year starts in September.

If you possess a qualification like the TEFL, you’ll find English teaching jobs are easy to find as you travel in Morocco.

WINTER

The winter season is the worst time of year to be in Morocco. Temperatures can drop heavily at night, even in the Sahara. The coastal areas are beset by regular rain from November to March. There are no real seasonal backpacker skills at this time of year.

You should use this time to travel in Morocco and use the opportunity to see more of the country.

ATTITUDE TO FOREIGNERS WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING IN MOROCCO

Morocco is a country in North Africa that has seen a huge increase in tourists in recent years. Unfortunately, there are a lot of scammers and a lot of fraudsters here, so you have to be on your guard at all times. This is especially true in the major markets, where foreigners are often harassed into buying things by the locals.

But this shouldn’t scare you away from work and travel in Morocco. A firm ‘no’ is all it takes to deter these people from bothering you. It’s simply the way that selling is done in North African culture.

Away from the major tourist destinations, Moroccans are generally friendly and eager to meet you with no expectation of you spending any money. You just need to make sure the person is genuine and that you feel comfortable around them.

Despite the fact most Moroccans see foreigners as rich, this is still an exciting yet challenging destination for work and travel.

Do you have everything you need to work and travel in Morocco?