Kingdom of Morocco · work sponsored
Work Residence Card (carte de sejour, salarie)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
For foreign nationals taking up a job in Morocco: this is the employment-based residence card (carte de sejour) you hold once a Moroccan employer has secured an ANAPEC-authorised work contract for you, letting you live and work in the country lawfully.
- Processing time
- Indicative only - timelines vary by case and prefecture; confirm current processing on the official DGSN and Service des Etrangers channels.
- Government fees
- Indicative only - government fees and a fiscal stamp apply; confirm current amounts on the official DGSN page.
- Typical duration
- Issued as a carte d'immatriculation in the work category, commonly for one to several years and renewable while the employment continues; confirm current validity on the official page.
- Sponsorship required
- Yes
- Leads to permanent residency
- No
In short
As of 10 July 2026, the Work Residence Card (carte de sejour, salarie) for Kingdom of Morocco is a sponsor-led Morocco immigration route. Sources: official Kingdom of Morocco government pages, reviewed 10 July 2026.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/morocco/work-residence-card#answer
What is the Work Residence Card (carte de sejour, salarie) in Kingdom of Morocco?
Work Residence Card (carte de sejour, salarie) is a sponsor-led Morocco route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only - government fees and a fiscal stamp apply; confirm current amounts on the official DGSN page; indicative processing time is Indicative only - timelines vary by case and prefecture; confirm current processing on the official DGSN and Service des Etrangers channels; typical duration is Issued as a carte d'immatriculation in the work category, commonly for one to several years and renewable while the employment continues; confirm current validity on the official page. This route does not lead to permanent residence.
Verified against Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) on 1 June 2026.
Overview
If you have a job offer in Morocco, this is the route that puts your residence on a proper footing. Morocco runs a two-part system: your employer first gets your foreign work contract (the contrat de travail d'etranger) authorised through ANAPEC under the Ministry of Labour, normally after showing the role could not be filled locally, and then you apply at the Service des Etrangers for a residence card in the work (salarie) category, issued by the DGSN. The card is tied to that employment and is renewable rather than permanent, so on its own it does not lead to settlement, but years of continuous residence on it can open the door to the longer carte de residence later. Good to know: the work contract and the residence card are separate steps, and you generally need both to be settled before you are fully in order.
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓A confirmed job with a Moroccan-registered employer and a foreign work contract (contrat de travail d'etranger) authorised through ANAPEC under the Ministry of Labour.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
- ✓Lawful entry to Morocco, normally on a long-stay Visa D appropriate to the employment.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
- ✓A residence application in the work (salarie) category lodged at the Service des Etrangers of the prefecture where you live.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
- ✓Evidence of a place of residence in Morocco and the means to support yourself.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
Common blockers
- !No ANAPEC-authorised work contract, without which the work residence card cannot follow.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
- !Trying to work on a tourist entry or short stay that does not authorise employment.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
- !Applying at the wrong prefecture, or before the work contract has been authorised.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
Typical evidence
- ·The authorised foreign work contract (contrat de travail d'etranger).Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
- ·A valid passport with the appropriate entry visa.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
- ·Proof of address in Morocco, such as a lease, a utility bill or a hosting certificate.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
- ·A recent medical certificate and photographs as required by the Service des Etrangers.Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) ↗
Application pathway
Check the route fit
Confirm your employer can get a foreign work contract authorised through ANAPEC and that the work (salarie) residence category fits your role.
Build the evidence pack
Gather the authorised work contract, passport, proof of address and medical certificate the Service des Etrangers asks for.
Submit through the official channel
Apply for the residence card at the Service des Etrangers of your prefecture, where the DGSN processes the card.
After approval
Collect your card, keep it valid while you are employed, and renew before it expires; long enough continuous residence may later support a carte de residence.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- Official guidanceApplicant + sponsorUse official Work Residence Card (carte de sejour, salarie) route page ↗
Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Work Residence Card (carte de sejour, salarie).
Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN) · verified
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Related routes
Long-stay Visa (Visa D)
For anyone planning to live in Morocco for more than 90 days: the long-stay Visa D is the entry visa you obtain before travelling, and it is the step that comes before you register for a residence card once you arrive.
Permanent Residence Card (carte de residence, 10-year)
For long-term foreign residents of Morocco: the carte de residence is the longer, typically ten-year card you can apply for after years of continuous, regular residence, giving you a far more settled status than the renewable carte de sejour.
Family Residence Card (regroupement familial)
For the spouse and children of someone already settled in Morocco: this family-reunion residence card (regroupement familial) lets close family members live in Morocco on the basis of their relationship to a resident or to a Moroccan national.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a work contract before I can get the residence card?+
Yes. Your employer first gets your foreign work contract authorised through ANAPEC under the Ministry of Labour, and only then do you apply for the work-category residence card at the Service des Etrangers. Confirm the current sequence on the official DGSN page before you start.
Does this card make me a permanent resident of Morocco?+
Not by itself. The work residence card is renewable while you stay employed, but it is not permanent. After several years of continuous, regular residence you may be able to apply for the longer carte de residence. Confirm the current rules on the official DGSN page.
Do I apply for the Moroccan work visa and residence card in one step, or separately?+
They are separate steps: you generally enter Morocco on a long-stay Visa D appropriate to the employment, then lodge a residence application in the work (salarie) category at the Service des Etrangers of the prefecture where you live, with the card issued by the DGSN. Confirm the current sequence on the official DGSN page.
What documents do I need for the Morocco work residence card?+
Typical evidence includes the authorised foreign work contract (contrat de travail d'etranger), a valid passport with the appropriate entry visa, proof of address in Morocco such as a lease, utility bill or hosting certificate, and a recent medical certificate and photographs as required by the Service des Etrangers. Confirm the full current list on the official DGSN page.
Why does my Moroccan employer have to prove the job couldn't be filled locally?+
Your foreign work contract is authorised through ANAPEC under the Ministry of Labour normally after the employer shows the role could not be filled by a local candidate, which is built into how the work route is approved. Confirm the current process on the official DGSN page.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in MoroccoHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale (DGSN)
Last checked: 1 June 2026