Morocco seeks answers as Spain’s ombudsman backs visa free entry for some Ceuta workers

Morocco’s long running case of cross border women workers barred from Spain’s Ceuta enclave after the pandemic entered a new phase after Spain’s ombudsman opened the door for some to return without a visa if they can prove prior employment and complete administrative steps, according to local reporting in Ceuta.

Ceuta based outlets reported that the Defensor del Pueblo asked Spain’s foreign ministry for urgent information on the workers’ status, then argued that certain women currently in Morocco should be allowed to cross into Ceuta to regularize their situation, with the final operational decision referred to the Spanish government delegation in Ceuta.

Before Covid 19, many Moroccan women living near Tetouan and Nador relied on a specific regime that allowed entry to Ceuta and Melilla without a Schengen visa for cross border work, notably in domestic work and services. Moroccan and Spanish press have tracked how tightening border rules after the pandemic left hundreds, and previously thousands, unable to return to jobs, with civil society groups pressing for solutions.

The new ombudsman position is being framed by advocacy groups as a potential breakthrough for humanitarian cases. The association ACOHA has said it holds files for more than 600 women who can document years of work and contributions to Spain’s social security system, and it wants their cases included in exceptional regularization pathways Spain announced in early 2026, according to the Arabic text you provided.

Separately, campaigners have cited Andalusia court rulings supporting residence permits based on work based integration for some cross border workers who can prove prior employment, strengthening the legal argument for regularization.

The dispute has highlighted the economic and social interdependence between northern Morocco and Ceuta, and the uncertainty created by border reforms since the pandemic era closures.