Younes Skouri, Minister of Economic Integration, Small Enterprises, Employment, and Skills, has affirmed the government’s commitment to fully implement the outcomes of social dialogue before May 1, 2026, the final year of the governmental mandate. Speaking to the House of Councillors on Tuesday, he emphasized that the execution of agreements made with social partners is a priority during the upcoming phase.
In response to a question from the Democratic Confederation of Labor group, Skouri stated that the government is expected to achieve complete implementation of the results from the April dialogue before Labor Day, stressing that preparations for labor law reform are being conducted carefully and with a participatory approach aimed at defending workers’ rights. The minister addressed the trade union centers represented in the second chamber, announcing that the government is at their disposal to ensure the success of this phase.
The official recalled the commitments made by the government since 2022 as part of social dialogue, noting that the journey has not been easy due to the complexity of the issues at hand, and indicated that the total financial achievements related to implementing union demands and social partners’ requests exceeded 46 billion dirhams.
Skouri reviewed the increases in wages, explaining that the raise in public sector salaries was implemented in two phases over two years, in accordance with the specified timelines. He also discussed decrees raising the minimum wage in the industrial and commercial sectors and professions by 20%, and by 25% in the agricultural sector, moving towards unifying the minimum wage across various private sectors.
On sectoral issues, the minister pointed to what he described as the government’s success in addressing accumulated tensions over years, even decades, within vital sectors. He highlighted that reforms in 2023, 2024, and 2025 focused on the education, health, and higher education sectors.
Underscoring employment recovery efforts, Skouri revealed during the same session that substantial progress had been made in active employment programs during 2025, especially between August and October. He clarified that the integration program has managed to incorporate 126,428 beneficiaries into companies as of September 2025, alongside the ongoing creation of 40,000 additional job positions.
The minister highlighted that 20% of beneficiaries from employment programs belong to the category of non-degree holders, marking a new direction aimed at groups that were previously outside the labor market. He noted that the incentive program aimed at new enterprises has generated employment for 17,700 workers within the first ten months of 2025, using permanent and temporary contracts instead of conventional integration models, with 48% of young people under 35 benefiting.
Regarding skills development, Skouri announced the launch of a new version of the qualification program in the current quarter, accommodating 30,000 young people through specialized training to facilitate access to the job market. He emphasized the strategic importance of the internship program, which aims to train 100,000 interns within companies, with a detailed initial report on its outcomes to be presented soon.
In conclusion, the Minister of Economic Integration and Employment stated that the new format of employment programs not only achieved numbers but also addressed previous imbalances by incorporating the unqualified and promoting vocational training at the heart of enterprises.
