Social Security Agreements Between Morocco and Foreign Countries

What the CNSS Covers: The Foundations of Moroccan Social Security

The Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS) is Morocco's primary social security institution for private-sector employees. It was established under Dahir No. 1-72-184 of 27 July 1972 and subsequently amended through various legislative texts including Law No. 17-02 of 2003 and the broader Social Security Code reforms. CNSS manages four main branches of protection for affiliated workers:

• Long-term benefits (prestations à long terme): Old-age pension (pension de vieillesse), disability pension (pension d'invalidité), and survivors' pension (pension de survivants).
• Short-term benefits (prestations à court terme): Sickness and maternity allowances, covering temporary incapacity for work.
• Work accident and occupational disease branch: Compensation for injuries sustained during the course of employment or recognized occupational illnesses.
• Family allowances (allocations familiales): Monthly payments for dependent children of affiliated workers up to specified age limits.

To qualify for an old-age pension, an employee must generally have reached 60 years of age and accumulated at least 3,240 days of contributions (approximately 9 years). Early retirement at age 55 is possible in certain hazardous sectors. The pension amount is calculated based on average daily wages and total contribution periods, with a minimum pension guarantee set periodically by the government.

Understanding these fundamentals is important before examining bilateral agreements, because the agreements are built upon these domestic rules: they supplement or modify them for workers who have split careers between Morocco and another country, but they do not displace them entirely.

Bilateral Social Security Agreements Morocco Has Signed

Morocco has been proactive in concluding bilateral social security conventions (conventions de sécurité sociale) with the main countries hosting its diaspora. These treaties are published in the Moroccan Official Gazette (Bulletin Officiel) and have the force of law under Article 55 of the Moroccan Constitution, which places ratified international treaties above domestic legislation.

Europe

• France — Convention of 9 July 1965 (and amended protocols): Morocco's oldest and most comprehensive bilateral agreement, covering old-age, disability, survivors, work accidents, sickness, and family allowances. France remains the largest host of Moroccan nationals abroad.
• Belgium — Convention of 24 June 1968: Covers pensions, work accidents, and family allowances for Moroccan workers employed in Belgium.
• Netherlands — Convention of 14 February 1972: Covers long-term benefits including old-age, invalidity, and survivors.
• Spain — Convention of 8 November 1979: Covers the full range of branches including old-age, disability, work accidents, sickness, and family allowances, with totalization provisions.
• Germany — Convention of 25 March 1981: Focuses primarily on old-age, disability, and survivors' pensions with totalization of periods.
• Italy — Convention of 18 December 1985: Covers pensions and work accident benefits for Moroccan workers in Italy.
• Portugal: A bilateral social security agreement has been in force covering Moroccan workers in Portugal, primarily addressing pension coordination.

Arab and African Countries

• Tunisia — Convention of 11 March 1997: Mutual coverage of contribution periods and pension exportability between the two Maghreb countries.
• Algeria: A bilateral agreement covers social security coordination, reflecting the historical labor migration between Algeria and Morocco, though implementation has at times been affected by diplomatic relations.
• Libya: A convention covers Moroccan workers employed in Libya, primarily in the construction and services sectors.
• Saudi Arabia: An agreement addresses the situation of Moroccan workers in the Gulf, particularly those employed under fixed-term contracts in the Saudi private sector covered by local social insurance institutions (GOSI).

Each bilateral convention is a self-contained treaty with its own scope, definitions, and administrative arrangements. A Moroccan worker should not assume that the rules applicable under the French convention automatically apply under the Spanish or German convention. The text of each convention must be consulted individually.

Totalization of Insurance Periods: How Combined Careers Are Counted

One of the most important mechanisms in bilateral social security agreements is totalization (totalisation des périodes d'assurance). It addresses the situation where a worker has contributed to both the Moroccan CNSS and the social security system of another country, but has not accumulated enough periods in either country alone to qualify for a pension.

Under totalization, the contribution periods completed in both countries are added together solely for the purpose of determining eligibility (i.e., whether the threshold is met). Once eligibility is established, each country pays its own pro-rata pension based only on the periods actually completed within its own system. This prevents both double payment and the loss of contributions made in both countries.

Practical Example

A Moroccan worker contributed to CNSS for 1,800 days in Morocco and to the French CNAV (pension system) for 12 years in France. The CNSS minimum threshold of 3,240 days is not met by the Moroccan periods alone. Under the 1965 Franco-Moroccan Convention, the French periods are added to determine eligibility. Once eligibility is confirmed, CNSS pays a pension proportional to the 1,800 Moroccan days, and CNAV pays a pension proportional to the 12 French years. The worker receives two separate pensions from two separate institutions.

Periods of contribution must generally be non-overlapping to qualify for totalization. Workers who were simultaneously employed in both countries (a relatively rare scenario) cannot count the same calendar period twice.

Exportability of Benefits: Receiving Your Moroccan Pension Abroad

Exportability means the right to receive a pension or benefit outside the territory of the country that awarded it. In the absence of a bilateral agreement, some countries restrict or reduce pension payments to beneficiaries residing abroad. Morocco's bilateral agreements generally guarantee full exportability of CNSS pensions to partner countries without reduction.

The key points regarding exportability under Moroccan bilateral agreements include:

• Old-age, disability, and survivors' pensions are exportable to partner countries under the relevant convention, typically without deduction or reduction.
• Family allowances have more variable treatment — some conventions continue payment abroad, others do not.
• Work accident permanent disability pensions are generally exportable, but temporary incapacity benefits (which require the worker to remain available for medical control) typically are not payable abroad.
• For countries with which Morocco has no bilateral agreement, the domestic Moroccan Social Security Code applies. In principle, CNSS pensions can still be paid abroad, but the absence of a convention may create practical difficulties in life certificate verification and bank transfer mechanisms.

How to Apply for a Moroccan Pension from Abroad

Applying for a CNSS pension while residing outside Morocco requires navigating both the CNSS administrative process and the coordination mechanisms established by the relevant bilateral convention. The general procedure is as follows:

1. Determine eligibility: Verify that you have reached retirement age (60 for standard old-age pension) and have the required contribution period. If you are relying on totalization, gather evidence of your foreign contribution periods.
2. Contact CNSS or the liaison institution: Most bilateral agreements designate a organisme de liaison (liaison body) in each country. In France, for instance, the CARSAT (Caisse d'Assurance Retraite et de la Santé au Travail) serves as liaison for Moroccan pension applications. You can file your application through the liaison institution in your country of residence, which will forward it to CNSS.
3. Complete the CNSS pension application form: Available at CNSS offices in Morocco, Moroccan consulates, or via the CNSS online portal (damancom.ma). The form requires personal details, employment history, contribution account number (matricule CNSS), and bank account information.
4. Gather supporting documents: Identity document (national identity card or passport), birth certificate, proof of Moroccan CNSS affiliation number, employment certificates (attestations de travail) for periods worked in Morocco, and foreign pension award documents if claiming totalization.
5. Submit through consulate if necessary: Moroccan consulates can assist in transmitting completed pension files to CNSS. Many MRE prefer this route as it provides an authenticated channel.
6. CNSS review and decision: CNSS examines the file, calculates the pension, and notifies the applicant. Processing times vary but can range from several weeks to several months, particularly where cross-border coordination is required.

Transferring Moroccan Pension Payments Internationally

Once a pension is awarded, CNSS must pay it to the beneficiary abroad. This involves both CNSS administrative procedures and the foreign exchange rules governed by the Office des Changes (see the related guide on foreign exchange rules for MRE).

The practical steps for receiving pension payments abroad include:

• Provide a foreign bank account (IBAN): CNSS makes international transfers to beneficiaries' foreign bank accounts. The beneficiary must provide complete banking details including IBAN and SWIFT/BIC codes.
• Annual life certificate (certificat de vie): CNSS requires pensioners abroad to submit an annual life certificate confirming they are still alive. This must be issued by a competent authority in the country of residence — typically a notary, local civil authority, or the Moroccan consulate. Failure to submit the certificate on time can result in suspension of payments.
• Notification of address changes: Any change of address or banking details must be promptly notified to CNSS to avoid interruption of payments.
• Currency: CNSS pensions are denominated in Moroccan dirhams (MAD). The conversion to the local currency of the beneficiary's country of residence occurs at the exchange rate applied by the transferring bank. Fluctuations in the MAD/EUR or MAD/other currency rate will affect the actual amount received.

Voluntary CNSS Affiliation for Self-Employed Moroccans Abroad

Many Moroccans living abroad are self-employed, freelancers, or work for non-Moroccan employers who do not contribute to CNSS. Dahir No. 1-72-184 and subsequent CNSS regulations permit voluntary affiliation (affiliation volontaire) to the CNSS long-term benefits scheme for Moroccan nationals residing abroad who are not covered by a compulsory Moroccan scheme.

Under voluntary affiliation:

• The affiliate declares a monthly income base within brackets established by CNSS regulations.
• The contribution rate applies to the declared base. As of recent regulation, both the employee and employer share is borne by the voluntary contributor.
• Contributions must be paid regularly (typically quarterly) to maintain continuity of affiliation.
• Periods of voluntary contribution count towards the minimum threshold for old-age pension eligibility.
• Voluntary affiliation to the long-term branch does not automatically include the short-term (sickness/maternity) or work accident branches.

A Moroccan national who has already accumulated substantial CNSS contribution periods in Morocco and wishes to ensure they will meet the 3,240-day minimum before retirement may find voluntary affiliation a useful mechanism to bridge gaps in contribution history caused by periods of self-employment or employment outside of Morocco.

CMR and RCAR: Civil Servants and Public Employees Abroad

Not all Moroccan workers are affiliated with CNSS. The Moroccan public sector has its own pension institutions:

• CMR (Caisse Marocaine des Retraites): Manages pensions for civil servants (fonctionnaires) of the Moroccan state, established under Dahir No. 1-77-216. CMR also covers judges, military officers, and certain other public employees. The pension is calculated on the basis of the final salary and years of service, with a contribution rate shared between the employee and the state.
• RCAR (Régime Collectif d'Allocation de Retraite): Covers contract and non-permanent public employees and certain semi-public sector workers. RCAR functions as a defined contribution scheme with a complementary benefit component.

Moroccans who served as civil servants in Morocco and subsequently emigrated may have vested CMR pension rights. CMR pensions are likewise exportable and are paid through international bank transfers. The annual life certificate requirement applies to CMR beneficiaries abroad in the same way as to CNSS beneficiaries.

Regarding bilateral agreements: most conventions signed by Morocco reference CNSS and the general social security scheme. CMR coverage has historically been treated separately, and the coordination mechanisms for civil servants may differ from those for private-sector employees. A Moroccan former civil servant residing in France, for example, should verify whether the Franco-Moroccan Convention covers civil servant categories or whether separate provisions apply.

AMO Health Insurance for Retirees: Coverage After the Working Years

AMO (Assurance Maladie Obligatoire) was introduced in Morocco by Law No. 65-00 of 2002 as the compulsory health insurance framework. For retirees, two institutions administer AMO:

• CNSS for retired private-sector employees and their dependants.
• CNOPS (Caisse Nationale des Organismes de Prévoyance Sociale) for retired civil servants and public employees covered through their professional mutual funds (mutuelles).

AMO for retirees covers a defined basket of health services within Morocco's public and conventioned private healthcare facilities, including consultations, hospitalisation, medications, and specialist care, subject to co-payment rules.

For Moroccan pensioners residing abroad, the practical utility of AMO is limited to periods when they are physically present in Morocco. AMO does not provide coverage for healthcare services rendered outside Morocco. Moroccans who are both retired and residing abroad should therefore maintain adequate health insurance in their country of residence, through either their foreign country's public scheme (if a bilateral agreement provides continued coverage) or a private international health policy.

When a retired MRE returns to Morocco permanently, registration with AMO through CNSS or CNOPS becomes important. The registration requires proof of pension award and, for those who were previously affiliated abroad, the relevant documents showing the cessation of foreign social security coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive my Moroccan CNSS pension while living in France?

Yes. Under the 1965 Franco-Moroccan Social Security Convention, CNSS pensions are exportable to France without reduction. You must notify CNSS of your foreign address and provide an annual life certificate (certificat de vie) attested by the Moroccan consulate in France or by a French notary. The pension is transferred by international bank wire in Moroccan dirhams.

What happens if I worked in both Morocco and Spain — do my contribution periods combine?

Under the 1979 Morocco-Spain Social Security Convention, contribution periods completed in both countries can be totalized to determine pension eligibility. If your Moroccan periods alone are below the 3,240-day minimum, the Spanish periods are added to establish whether you qualify. Each country then pays its own pro-rata pension corresponding to the periods completed under its own scheme.

Can a self-employed Moroccan living abroad contribute voluntarily to CNSS?

Yes. Moroccan nationals residing abroad who are not covered by a compulsory Moroccan scheme may affiliate voluntarily with the CNSS long-term benefits branch. They declare a monthly income base and pay contributions at the statutory rate. This allows them to accumulate or complete contribution periods for old-age pension eligibility.

What is the difference between CNSS, CMR, and RCAR?

CNSS covers private-sector employees in Morocco. CMR covers civil servants and permanent public employees under a defined benefit scheme based on final salary and years of service. RCAR covers contract public employees under a contribution-based scheme. Each institution has separate rules, and the bilateral agreements signed by Morocco primarily target CNSS, with specific provisions sometimes addressing the civil servant sphere separately.

Does AMO health insurance cover Moroccan retirees who live abroad?

AMO provides coverage only for healthcare received within Morocco. It does not reimburse foreign healthcare expenses. Moroccan retirees residing abroad should maintain local or international health insurance coverage in their country of residence. Upon permanent return to Morocco, they can register with CNSS-AMO or CNOPS-AMO depending on their former employment sector to access healthcare within the Moroccan system.