Lekjaa says some Moroccan Families avoid formal jobs to keep social aid

Morocco’s Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, said Monday that some Moroccan families deliberately avoid entering the formal labor market in order to continue receiving direct social assistance.

Speaking during an oral questions session in Parliament, Lekjaa acknowledged the existence of what he described as an imbalance between direct social support and labor market participation.

He explained that some beneficiaries who are able to work prefer not to take formal employment or avoid declaring their professional activities in order to preserve their eligibility for government assistance.

According to Lekjaa, the government is seeking to address this issue through amendments included in a draft law reforming Law 58.23, which governs the direct social support program.

The minister said the proposed changes are intended to eliminate any ambiguity surrounding the program and ensure that social assistance remains a mechanism for support rather than becoming a permanent source of income beyond its intended legal framework.

Lekjaa recalled that the direct social support scheme, launched as part of Morocco’s broader social protection reforms under King Mohammed VI, has already benefited more than four million households since its introduction.

He said the program was designed to help vulnerable families improve their living conditions and eventually integrate into the country’s economic cycle.

“The objective is to enable families to move out of vulnerability, live with dignity, and build a better future,” he told lawmakers.

To encourage labor market participation, the draft legislation introduces two key measures.

First, beneficiaries who secure employment would be allowed to continue receiving direct social support at the same level for a transitional period of one year. The government hopes this will remove fears that accepting a job could immediately result in the loss of financial assistance.

Second, individuals who lose their jobs after entering the workforce would automatically regain access to social support without having to undergo lengthy administrative procedures or wait for a new eligibility assessment.

Lekjaa said the reforms are intended to strengthen incentives for employment while maintaining a safety net for vulnerable households.

He previously stressed that the purpose of the program is not to encourage people to rely indefinitely on monthly payments ranging between MAD 500 and MAD 1,000, but rather to help them access stable employment opportunities that can sustainably improve their standard of living.

Morocco’s direct social support program was launched in December 2023 and currently costs approximately MAD 2.2 billion per month. The overall financial commitment associated with the initiative is estimated at nearly MAD 62 billion.