This paper seeks to provide an overview of the mixed migration context for people on the move in Morocco, with a focus on Morocco as a country of destination and transit for refugees and migrants travelling along the Western Mediterranean Route and the Atlantic Route. In so doing, it aims to help fill a gap in migration research, as data and research on issues of mixed migration in Morocco are still limited.

This paper first provides a general overview of the legal framework around migration in Morocco to set out the context shaping mixed migration dynamics. A methodology section outlines the paper’s use of quantitative data from a pilot of MMC’s flagship data collection project, 4Mi,5 as well as its qualitative data collection and analysis approach. Next, the main findings of the research are presented, with analysis of the profiles of refugees and migrants in Morocco, the drivers of their movement, protection issues, journey conditions, livelihoods, and obstacles to accessing basic services in Morocco. The impact of COVID-19 on Morocco’s migration trends, refugee and migrant livelihoods, access to basic services and migration intentions is also explored.