Tangier

Migration Patterns

Given its remarkable economic dynamism and geographical location at the gates of Europe, Tangier has become an attractive city for people seeking better living conditions or those transiting to the Northern Mediterranean coast. Various international migratory movements from both the North and South take place here. The Spanish and French are the main nationalities originating from the North in Tangier. There are also some Syrian refugees and migrants from sub - Saharan Africa.

While these migration flows are difficult to quantify, they are highly visible within the different spaces of the city. Socio - economically disadvantaged immigrants from Sub - Saharan Africa can be found on the outskirts of the city, often in precarious settlements. Most of these immigrants work in the informal sector. In contrast, immigrants from the North generally enjoy better living conditions and are spread out along the territory of the city.

Migrant Population

The city has little data on immigration (workforce, legal status, gender, nationality, etc.). Data from the 2014 Population and Housing census (RGPH) on emigrants and immigrants reported that there were 5,145 foreigners in Tangier, i.e., 0.5% of the total city’s population, and 6% of foreigners across the country. This figure reflects only the population that was present at the time of the census. The current number of foreigners is actually much higher. According to the African Union of development associations, there are close to 3,000 immigrants from Sub - Saharan Africa.

The surveys undertaken suggest that most of these immigrants are young men who have a relatively high level of education and work primarily in the informal sector. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported 275 refugees and asylum seekers established in Tangier in 2016.

Source

This text is retrieved from: ICMPD, MC2CM, (2016). City Migration Profile: Tangier; Mediterranean City-to-City Migration; Dialogue, Knowledge and Action.

Other Sources

Mouna, K. (2016). Espace imaginé, espace vécu et espace négocié : Parcours croisés des migrations espagnoles et subsahariennes à Tanger; MIM-AMERM.

Bither, J., Küppers, I. and Ziebarth, A. (2016). A Tale of Three Cities: New migration and integration realities in Istanbul, Offenbach and Tangier; Integration Strategy Group.