Morocco has been ranked as one of the top nationalities ordered to leave various countries of the European Union in the first quarter of 2024, according to recent reports from Eurostat and Schengen News.
The statistics show that Moroccans, along with Algerians, comprised a significant portion of those ordered to leave, each representing 7% of the total number of deportations.
France and Germany, as leading EU member states, were at the forefront of issuing deportation orders. France alone issued 34,190 orders for non-EU citizens to leave, followed by Germany with 15,400 similar orders.
The two countries accounted for nearly half of all deportation orders issued within the EU during this period.
Despite an overall 2% decrease in the number of deportation orders compared to the previous quarter, the number of affected Moroccans and Algerians remained high.
Moroccan immigrants constitute the second-largest immigrant population in France, second only to Algerians. According to INSEE data, the number of Moroccan immigrants in France in 2022 was 836,400 people.
Meanwhile, the number of second-generation Moroccan migrants is approximately 1 million.
Both communities also appeared in the statistics of people who voluntarily returned to their home country, each representing 4% of the total number of returnees.
Eurostat data further indicate a 6% increase in the number of people complying with deportation orders by returning to another country, totaling 30,570 people.
While Morocco and Algeria were prominently affected, other nationalities such as Turks, Syrians, and Georgians also received deportation orders.
In addition to the increasing number of return orders, Moroccans face a high rejection rate when applying for Schengen visas.
In 2023, Morocco ranked second among African countries with the highest number of Schengen visa rejections, with a total of 136,367 refusals, costing applicants approximately 117 million Moroccan dirhams (€10.9 million).
The staggering rejection rates, mainly from France and Spain, have caused much frustration and dissatisfaction among Moroccan citizens.
Professionals, artists, and even diplomats from Morocco have expressed their displeasure with the strict visa policies that have often denied them access to Schengen area countries.
This issue has been particularly contentious since France drastically halved the number of visas granted to Moroccans in 2021, citing concerns about illegal Moroccan residents in France.
After nearly three years of ongoing controversy over visa rejections, France announced at the end of 2023 that it would lift its restrictions for Moroccan citizens seeking Schengen visas.
Morocco World News
Add comment