El Othmani: The increase in the SMIG rate reached 20%
Younes Skouri, the Minister of Economic Integration, Small Enterprises, Employment and Skills, confirmed that the increase in the minimum wage in the private sector has reached 20%.
In a statement on the occasion of May Day, Skouri explained that the net monthly minimum wage has risen from 2,638.05 dirhams in 2021 to nearly 3,191.85 dirhams, with a planned 5% increase set for next January. He added that "the increase of approximately 600 dirhams is unprecedented by any previous government."
He noted that the number of workers affected by this measure, according to data from the National Social Security Fund, exceeds 2 million citizens.
Regarding the agricultural sector, the minister acknowledged a lower minimum wage compared to other sectors, emphasizing that the government has committed to standardizing the minimum wage by 2028.
Thus, the government is increasing the agricultural minimum wage at a rate higher than that of other wages to narrow the gap between minimum wages in non-agricultural and agricultural activities.
He added that practically, regarding the agricultural minimum wage, "we have moved from approximately 1,860 dirhams per month – although the agricultural minimum wage is calculated daily, we adopted the monthly average as an example – to 2,360 dirhams per month when taking into account the increase that will be applied in April 2026."
Skouri mentioned that through the April 2024 agreement, they agreed to raise the minimum wage in non-agricultural activities and the minimum wage in agricultural activities in two phases of 5% between 2025 and 2026, resulting in an increase in the agricultural minimum wage of 540 dirhams from the start of the government in 2021 until 2026. He stressed that the government continues to work diligently to ensure respect for the minimum wage through the labor inspection apparatus.
On another note, Skouri highlighted the significant disparities affecting many citizens concerning pensions in the private sector, as it was previously necessary to have 3,240 days of contributions to qualify for a pension from the National Social Security Fund. After discussions with social partners, the government responded to their demands and reduced this period to only 1,320 days, equivalent to 4 years.
He stated that individuals who do not meet the 1,320-day contribution requirement can recover the amounts they contributed, along with the contributions made on their behalf by the employer, enabling them to reclaim their capital.
He affirmed that the government has responsibly listened to social partners, asserting that "without them and without social dialogue, it would not have been possible to achieve these practical accomplishments in this area."
He also mentioned the revision of income tax at the request of social partners, which will begin implementation in January 2025, highlighting that this revision would result in an average increase of 400 dirhams for middle-income families.
The minister took the opportunity to discuss the draft law on strikes, as one of the fundamental laws long awaited, emphasizing that the current government had the political courage to open this challenging project and consider the proposals from social partners and applicable international standards.
