Morocco: 43% of young graduates hold a job below their qualification level.
A World Bank report highlights the growing gap between the education of young Moroccans and the jobs they hold. Among higher education graduates aged 25 to 34, 43% work in a position for which the qualification level is lower than their education.
SUMMARY
The phenomenon of overqualification has increased by nine points in seven years, according to the analysis conducted by the World Bank based on data from the High Commission for Planning (HCP). It particularly affects holders of vocational or technical diplomas, with a rate reaching 70%.
This situation means that a significant portion of young graduates cannot find a job that matches their skills. It can fuel a sense of social downgrading and frustration, a discontent already expressed by protesters of the GenZ212 movement, which emerged in the fall of 2025.
A labor market that struggles to absorb graduates
The gap is notably explained by the rapid increase in the number of graduates. Since 2015, Morocco has seen about 40,000 additional graduates each year, while the creation of qualified jobs does not seem to keep pace.
The report thus highlights the difficulties of the Moroccan labor market in absorbing this highly qualified workforce. The country’s industrial growth, presented by a study from the African Development Bank as the most significant on the continent, does not automatically translate into an equivalent increase in jobs that match the available qualifications.
However, overqualification is not unique to Morocco. It affects many African countries, although comparisons remain challenging due to differences in statistical methods and the varying availability of data. In Europe, Spain is among the most affected countries, with about 35% of its workforce considered overqualified, according to the figures cited in the report.
Comments