---
title: "Morocco Hiring Guide 2026 | Notice Scales by Tenure"
description: "Hire in Morocco 2026: written contract before day one, CNSS registration, notice 30 days for non-execs (1-5 yrs), probation up to 6 months."
canonical: https://www.teamed.global/country-hiring-guides/morocco/hiring-guide
---

Morocco · Hiring guide child

Served by Teamed vetted partner-entity network in Morocco

# How do you *hire a Moroccan employee* in 2026?

Morocco requires a written employment contract before work begins. Notice periods are set by law and scale with both seniority and job category: non-executives start at 8 days for their first year and reach 60 days after five years. Probation for executives can run up to 6 months.

Last reviewed 13 Jun 2026 · Morocco guide

![A sunlit medina street in Marrakech with warm terracotta walls and a patterned tile fountain.](/images/country-guides/morocco-hiring-guide.webp)

Illustration · Casablanca, Morocco

Answer.cite this

The Morocco hire process has five steps. Written offer, work-authorisation check, signed employment contract, CNSS registration, first payday.

The employment contract must be signed before the employee starts work. It is the binding legal document from day one.

Notice periods are set by law. They scale with seniority and job category. Non-executives start at 8 days for their first year. Executives on contracts of over five years get 90 days from the employer.

![A person signing a printed employment contract at a desk in a modern Casablanca office.](/images/country-guides/morocco-hiring-guide-polaroid-1.webp)

Sign before day one

## What does the end-to-end Morocco hire process look like?

Five steps take you from accepted offer to first payslip: written offer, work-authorisation check, signed employment contract, CNSS and AMO registration, first payday.

The contract must be in place before the employee starts. CNSS registration follows in the first week.

| Step | What happens | Owner | Timing |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, salary, start date, probation period, and notice terms | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept |
| 2. Work-authorisation check | Confirm Moroccan nationality or verify valid foreign work permit and residence card | Teamed | Before the employee starts |
| 3. Employment contract | Signed written contract in French or Arabic (bilingual recommended) covering all terms required under the Labour Code | Teamed (legal employer) | On or before day one |
| 4. CNSS and AMO registration | Register the employee with the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) and mandatory health insurance (AMO); collect national identity number (CIN) and bank details | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| 5. First payday | First monthly payslip issued, IR withholding remitted, CNSS contributions filed | Teamed | End of first calendar month |

1. Issue the written offer Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, gross salary, start date, applicable probation period, and the relevant notice tier. Salary must be quoted gross, not net.
2. Complete the work-authorisation check Collect the CIN for Moroccan nationals before the start date. For foreign nationals, confirm the work permit and residence card are valid and filed with the regional labour authority before the employee starts.
3. Issue the employment contract The signed contract must be in place on or before day one. Teamed's standard Moroccan contract covers all Labour Code requirements in both French and English. Clients confirm commercial terms. Teamed signs as legal employer.
4. Complete CNSS and AMO registration Register the employee with CNSS (social security) and activate AMO (mandatory health insurance). Collect bank details (RIB) for salary transfer and set up IR withholding on payroll. This runs across days one to seven.
5. Issue the first payslip and file contributions Run the first monthly payroll at the end of the first calendar month. Remit CNSS contributions and IR withholding. The employee receives their payslip and is on the payroll record.

## What must a Morocco offer letter include?

The offer letter is not the binding contract. It is the document the candidate decides against.

Include role title, reporting line, start date, gross monthly salary, working hours (standard week is 44 hours), location, probation period, applicable notice tier, and any conditions such as work authorisation or references.

Three traps to avoid in Moroccan offer letters:

- **Quoting net salary.** Morocco deducts CNSS and IR at source. Committing to a net figure creates problems when contribution rates or tax brackets change. Always quote gross salary.
- **Ambiguous probation terms.** Morocco has three probation tiers by role category: executives, white-collar employees, and blue-collar workers. Each has a different maximum length and renewal rule. State the applicable category clearly so the probation period is not disputed later.
- **Overstating discretionary pay.** A 13th-month bonus is not required by Moroccan law. If your offer letter describes it as a standard payment, it can become a contractual expectation. Use language that makes clear it is discretionary and performance-linked.

Teamed's standard Moroccan offer letter covers all required ground. Documents are produced in both French and Arabic where requested. Clients choose commercial elements. Teamed holds the legal-employer position and issues the contract in the correct form.

## Morocco work-authorisation checks

Every employer must confirm an employee has the right to work before the start date.

Moroccan citizens present their national identity card (Carte Nationale d'Identite, CIN). Foreign nationals must hold a valid residence permit with an employment authorisation from the Ministry of Employment before they can start.

### Moroccan citizens

Moroccan nationals have an automatic right to work in Morocco. The employer collects and retains a copy of the CIN. No government portal check is required. The CIN also serves as the identifier for CNSS registration, so collecting it before day one removes a bottleneck later in onboarding.

### Foreign nationals

Non-Moroccan employees must hold a valid work permit and residence card before starting work. The process involves prior approval from ANAPEC (the national employment promotion agency) and the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research. The employer files the work contract with the relevant regional labour authority before the permit is issued.

The work permit is tied to a specific employer and role. If the employee changes employer, the permit must be renewed. Teamed manages the permit application and renewal process for foreign-national hires.

WIPO Lex · Morocco Labour Code (Law 65-99)

Morocco's Labour Code (Law No. 65-99, Dahir No. 1-03-194) governs employment contracts and work conditions. Foreign workers require prior administrative authorisation before taking up employment. The employer must file the employment contract with the labour authority as part of the work-permit process.

Source: [WIPO Lex: Morocco Labour Code (Law 65-99), full text](https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/7371)

### Follow-up checks for time-limited permits

Residence permits and employment authorisations in Morocco are issued for fixed periods and must be renewed before expiry. Teamed tracks expiry dates and initiates renewal in advance of each deadline. A lapsed permit is a compliance breach for both the employee and the employer.

## The Moroccan employment contract: what must it contain?

A written employment contract is required before work starts. It is the binding legal document.

The contract must be in French or Arabic. A bilingual version covering both is standard practice for international employers.

What the Moroccan employment contract must include under the Labour Code (Law 65-99):

- Full names and addresses of both employer and employee
- Start date and duration (indefinite CDI or fixed-term CDD with clear end date or objective)
- Job title and brief description of duties
- Place of work and any mobility requirement
- Gross base salary and any variable or supplementary pay components
- Working hours (standard 44 hours per week for non-agricultural sector)
- Annual paid leave entitlement (minimum 18 days per year, accruing at 1.5 days per month of service)
- Probation period and category (executive, white-collar, or blue-collar)
- Applicable notice periods by seniority tier
- CNSS and AMO contribution obligations
- Any applicable collective agreement (convention collective) or sector agreement
- Confidentiality, non-compete, or intellectual-property terms where agreed

Morocco uses two main contract types for indefinite employment: the CDI (Contrat a Duree Indeterminee, open-ended) is standard for permanent hires. The CDD (Contrat a Duree Determinee, fixed-term) is permitted only for specific reasons: replacing an absent employee, a temporary activity surge, or a genuinely fixed-duration project. A CDD that continues beyond its legitimate purpose is treated as a CDI by the labour courts.

The contract should be signed before the employee's first working day. Teamed prepares the contract in both French and English, and in Arabic where required. Key sources: [Morocco Labour Code (Law 65-99), WIPO Lex](https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/7371).

## Onboarding admin in the first week

Days 1 to 7: employment contract signed, CNSS registration completed, AMO health insurance activated, CIN and bank details collected.

Teamed handles the payroll and compliance side. The client handles the operational and cultural side.

| Onboarding task | Who does it | Day |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Employment contract signed | Employee and Teamed | Day 0 or 1 |
| Work-authorisation check completed | Teamed | Day 0 (before start) |
| Carte Nationale d'Identite (CIN) copy collected | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 |
| CNSS registration (social security) | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| AMO (mandatory health insurance) activation | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| IR (income tax) withholding set up on payroll | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Bank account details (RIB) collected for salary transfer | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Work permit copy filed (foreign nationals) | Teamed | Day 0 (confirmed before start) |
| Equipment and system access | Client | Days 0 to 1 |
| Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 7 |
| 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 |

## How does Teamed handle Morocco employment for you?

Teamed becomes your legal [employer of record](/lp/employer-of-record) in Morocco for [**from $599 per employee per month**](/pricing), with **zero FX mark-up** in any currency.

Payroll, CNSS, AMO, the Labour Code contract, and the full Moroccan employment compliance stack run on **one platform**.

**Real HR and legal experts** handle your Moroccan hires, from the first bilingual offer letter through every monthly CNSS filing and IR withholding remittance. **An actual person**, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is **no setup fee** and **no exit fee**. Employer cost **passes through at cost, itemised** on every invoice.

EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on **one platform**. A Moroccan contractor who converts to a CDI keeps their record. Run the [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator) to see the month your Moroccan hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Morocco hiring overview. Each guide here takes one layer of Moroccan employment law.

Key sources: [Morocco Labour Code (Law 65-99), WIPO Lex](https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/7371), [PwC Tax Summaries Morocco](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/morocco/individual/other-taxes), and [Upsilon Consulting notice-period guide](https://www.upsilon-consulting.com/en/notice-period-morocco/).

## Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to hire someone in Morocco through Teamed?

Teamed can onboard a Moroccan national within a few business days of offer acceptance. The steps are: contract preparation and signing, CIN collection, CNSS registration, and payroll setup. Foreign nationals who need a work permit take longer, as the permit must be filed with the regional labour authority and approved before the start date. Teamed manages the permit process and confirms readiness before any start date is set.

What notice period applies during a Morocco probation period?

During probation, the law requires 8 days notice if the employee has worked at least one month. Less than one week of work requires no notice. One week to one month of work requires 2 days. Probation lengths vary by category: executives can have up to 6 months, white-collar employees up to 3 months, and blue-collar workers up to 30 days. Each can be renewed once.

What are the notice period rules after probation in Morocco?

Notice periods under the Labour Code scale with seniority and job category. Non-executives: 8 days for under 1 year of service, 30 days for 1 to 5 years, and 60 days for over 5 years. The employee must give the same notice to resign. Executives have longer notice minimums at each band. Notice obligations are reciprocal.

What is the minimum annual leave entitlement for a Morocco employee?

The minimum paid annual leave is 18 days per year, accruing at 1.5 days per month of service. Qualifying service is 6 months continuous employment. The entitlement increases by 1.5 days for every 5-year service milestone. Employees under 18 receive 2 days per month. Morocco has 13 mandatory paid public holidays per year under the Labour Code, plus some lunar Islamic holidays that vary in date each year.

Do Morocco employees get unfair dismissal protection from day one?

Under the Moroccan Labour Code, all employees on open-ended contracts require a just cause for dismissal from the start of their contract. The 6 months threshold is for financial remedies such as severance and court-awarded damages, not for procedural protection. That means you need a valid reason to dismiss from day one. You do not need a reason to end a contract during the probation period, provided the correct notice is given.

Teamed Legal Operations

The notice-period structure in Morocco is one of the first things that catches companies out. It is not one number. It changes by role category and by how long the person has been employed. Getting that wrong from the offer letter means the contract sets expectations the law will override later.

A note from Tom Price-Daniel

In Morocco, the employment contract is not a formality you complete after the start date. It must be signed before work begins.  
Notice periods are set by law and scale with tenure. The number in your template may not match the number the law requires.  
We handle the contract, the CNSS registration, and every payroll filing from day one.

Tom Price-Daniel · Co-founder, Teamed

## Related Morocco guides

- Hiring in Morocco, overviewparent
- [Morocco termination and severance](/country-hiring-guides/morocco/termination-and-severance)sibling
- [Morocco tax and payroll](/country-hiring-guides/morocco/tax-and-payroll)sibling
- [Morocco employer cost breakdown](/country-hiring-guides/morocco/cost-breakdown)sibling
- [Germany hiring guide](/country-hiring-guides/germany/hiring-guide)sibling
- [Employer of Record overview](/lp/employer-of-record)core
- [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator)tool
- [Talk to an expert](https://www.teamed.global/contact)CTA

A note on this page.

This is a guide, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules change and vary by jurisdiction. Verify current requirements with the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Integration (MEFP) and the Caisse Nationale de Securite Sociale (CNSS) for Morocco, or speak to a qualified local professional, before relying on any specific framework.