The Customs administration provides overseas Moroccans with a virtual guide to facilitate their transit
The customs authorities of Morocco are now providing Moroccans of the world a guide to facilitate the customs border crossing, from 30 June to 15 September 2015.
New York: Abdelhamid El Jamri, UN Expert reelected for a fourth mandate
Morocco was re-elected on June 30, 2015 at the UN headquarters in New York, in the person of Abdelhamid El Jamri, at the Migrant Workers Committee for a fourth term of four years.
Ramadan in the Netherlands: traditions reflecting a multicultural society
In the Netherlands, home to almost one million Muslims from different cultures and backgrounds with Turkish and Moroccan dominance, the Holy month of Ramadan is a reflection of unprecedented Muslim cultural diversity in terms of traditions and gastronomy.
MRE: Key figures of the 2015 Marhaba operation
Summoned by the Foreign Affairs Committee in parliament, the Minister of Moroccans living abroad (MRE) Anis Birou presented on 29 June, several statistics on the return of MRE and the summer operation Marhaba. Here are the numbers to remember.
Migration pushes UK population up by 500,000 to a new record
The population of the UK has hit a record high, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said, with the average age also reaching a new peak.
Italian PM Vents Fury at EU States Refusal to Accept Migration Quotas
Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi harshly criticized EU leaders for rejecting mandatory migrant quotas amid ongoing divisions over the ways to stop the flow of illegal migrants to Europe's southern shores.
Australia's population increase from migration continues to slow
Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows net overseas migration figures continue to decline, with the national total falling by 15% in the last year.
Serbia To Organize A Regional Conference On Illegal Migration
BELGRADE – Serbia intends to organise a regional conference on the problem of illegal migration, Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic announced on Friday.
Swiss to widen EU debate in bid to break immigration deadlock
Switzerland’s government said it will widen talks with the European Union to review a host of issues between the Alpine nation and the bloc in a bid to break a negotiating deadlock over immigration curbs.
US: First Step to End Family Immigration Detention
(Washington, DC) – The United States Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to scale back its use of family immigration detention could help thousands of children and mothers who are fleeing persecution, Human Rights Watch said today. DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson announced on June 24, 2015, that the Obama administration was committed to “substantial changes” to family immigration detention.
Britain to set up two-mile steel fence to control illegal immigration from Calais
BRITAIN is sending a two-mile security fence to France to stop desperate immigrants sneaking over from Calais.
International Students quickly becoming the new future of immigration in Canada
Overseas students are quickly becoming the new standard of immigration here in Canada, notes Instec International Student of Hamilton, Ontario. The opportunities that now exist for foreign students are likely to continue as visiting students become the country’s new immigrants.
Australia's visa policy aims to attract more Chinese visitors
Australia has introduced some new visa policies and adjust some others, which are expected to play an important part in welcoming more Chinese visitors to Australia, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Michaelia Cash told Xinhua over the weekend before she departed for her six- day China visit on Sunday.
Anwar Kbibech, new president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith
The Franco-Moroccan engineer Anwar Kbibech, 53, will succeed to Dalil Boubakeur as president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), for a period of two years.
Moroccan national Abderrahim Naji designated "Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year" in Italy
Moroccan national Abderrahim Naji was named Thursday in Rome, "immigrant entrepreneur of the year” as part of the 7th edition of MoneyGram Award, in Italy in recognition "of his initiative, courage and success."
Study reveals the typical social profile of Belgian-Moroccans.
Who are the Belgian-Moroccans and Belgian-Turks? Do they feel more Moroccan or Turkish than Belgian? These questions were asked to a sample of those two populations. Nearly 700 of them responded to the questionnaires, as part of a study funded by the King Baudouin Foundation, which revealed their profile and deconstructed at the same time a series of prejudices.
Moroccan Imams invited to conduct 'Tarawih' prayers in Dubai
The Department of Islamic Affairs and charitable works - iacad, under the government of Dubai, is organizing an internationalization of tarawih prayer program, which would allow faithful of the emirate to discover recitations from the Koran styles of other countries in the world.
"Marhaba 2015": 22 ships mobilized and a reserve fleet to intervene when necessary
Twenty-two ships were mobilized as part of the host operation of Moroccans living abroad (MRE) "Marhaba 2015," as well as a reserve fleet that will intervene when necessary, said Tuesday in Rabat, the minister responsible for Moroccans living abroad and Migration Affairs, Anis Birou.
Düsseldorf: A Moroccan student gets a perfect score in the German Baccalaureate exams
After Myriam Bourhil, Moroccan student resident in France, who scored 21/20 in the baccalaureate exams 2014, another young Moroccan, living in Germany, distinguished herself by receiving a score of 20/20 in this year’s baccalaureate exams.
Report: 1.5 million Moroccans live in France, of whom 670,000 have French nationality
1.5 million is the number of Moroccans living in France. Among them, 670,000 have French nationality. A figure revealed in a report by the French National Assembly made "on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the bill authorizing the approval of the additional protocol to the Convention on Mutual Assistance" between France and Morocco.
At the White House, Obama invites Muslims to break the fast in an official Iftar
Barack Obama has opened the doors of the White House to Muslim Americans for a traditional iftar, the meal that breaks the fasting from dawn to sunset.
Muslim immigration to the U.S. on the Rise
Immigration into the U.S. from predominately Islamic countries has doubled in more than a decade and that number continues to rise. Some find this number alarming given recent terrorist events worldwide.
Clinton says she would go further than Obama on immigration
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives at the Aria before speaking at the NALEO conference on Thursday, June 18, 2015. Launch slideshow ».
Croatia, Austria against walls in dealing with immigration crisis
The problem of refugees and illegal immigrants should be dealt with within the European Union, and putting up fences is not the way to do it, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and her Austrian counterpart Heinz Fischer said in Vienna on Thursday.
Poland resists mandatory immigration quota
The Polish government is more and more firmly opposed to the mandatory migrant settlement quotas proposed by the EU in the light of increasing number of immigrants from Syria and Eritrea.
US Supreme Court Hands Down 2 Decisions on Immigration
The United States Supreme Court handed down two important decisions this week, striking down substantive due-process rights for immigrants, but offering procedural protections for immigrants who miss deadlines in deportation proceedings.
Slovak police detain 60 people at march against immigration quotas
BRATISLAVA (Reuters) – Police in Slovakia said on Saturday they detained 60 people at an anti-immigration march in the capital Bratislava after protesters damaged police cars and attacked spectators at a cycling race.
Indian nurses in UK could be forced to return home under new immigration rules
London: Over 30,000 nurses from India and other non-European countries employed with Britain's state-funded National Health Service (NHS) could be forced to leave the UK under new immigration rules.
Protests against immigration add to EU woes
AS EUROPE struggles to keep Greece from default and to hold its common currency together, violent protests against immigration in Slovakia and election results in Denmark at the weekend have strengthened the forces of disunion unleashed by an impassioned debate over how to deal with a flood of migrants from conflict zones.
Yarl's Wood: Children fleeing warzones being locked up at detention centre, investigation finds
Children fleeing the horrors of warzones such as Syria and Afghanistan are being routinely misclassified as over-18 and locked up in adult detention centres in breach of Government policies and legal guidelines, an investigation has discovered.
EU approves military operation against people smugglers
The Council of Moroccan mosques responds to Wilders provocation through the art of caricature
The Council of Moroccan mosques (RMMN) published a cartoon of the leader of the Dutch far right, Geert Wilders, in response to his plan to showcase the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed on Dutch television.
Spain: Abderrazak Aananou, a Moroccan decorated by King Felipe VI
Abderrazak Aananou, a Moroccan living in Spain is among the 38 anonymous heroes decorated with the medal of the Order of Civil Merit on June 19, 2015, by King Felipe VI of Spain.
Spain: Moroccan writer Najat El Hachmi wins Sant Joan BBVA Catalan literary prize."
Najat El Hachmi has won the Sant Joan BBVA Catalan literature prize for her work "La Filla Estrangera', Spanish media reported.
Immigration tops agenda as Denmark votes in parliamentary elections
Voting began Thursday in Denmark's general election with opinion polls suggesting a neck-and-neck race between Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt's left-leaning bloc and the centre-right opposition.
Poland resists mandatory immigration quota
The Polish government is more and more firmly opposed to the mandatory migrant settlement quotas proposed by the EU in the light of increasing number of immigrants from Syria and Eritrea.
Italy Not Ready to Carry Through With Immigration 'Plan B' –Italian Senator
In an interview with Sputnik, Italian Senate Vice President Maurizio Gasparri warned that the government of Matteo Renzi is unprepared to deal with the refugee crisis, and that his warnings of implementing 'Plan B', which would redistribute some of the refugees seeking residency in Italy to other countries, is not backed up by firm political will.
UK Liz Kendall says she wants an Australian-style points-based immigration system
Britain should introduce a strict ‘Australian-style’ points-based immigration system of the kind advocated by Ukip, one of Labour’s leadership contenders has said.
Khalid Hajji: "we cannot resort to political radicalism in the fight against religious radicalism"
Speaking at the meeting of religious leaders of Europe in Brussels on Tuesday 16 June, Mr. Khalid Hajji, President of the European Council of Moroccan ulemas, explained the fear of Islam in the European Community and suggested some tracks of reflection in order to limit its extension.
Albert Guigui: Morocco is an example to follow in tolerance and in the living together
When speaking at the meeting of religious leaders of Europe in Brussels on Tuesday 16 June, the Chief Rabbi of Brussels considered that Morocco is a good example in tolerance and the living together.
Montreal: André Azoulay highlights the secular links between Islam and Judaism in Morocco and its plural identity
Mr. André Azoulay, advisor to His Majesty the King Mohammed VI, highlighted Monday night in Montreal, the centuries-old ties between Islam and Judaism in Morocco, as well as the uniqueness and richness of the Moroccan identity, nurtured and forged by the convergence of its various tributaries and components.
English author Samantha Herron takes you on an intriguing journey in 'The Djinn in the Skull: Stories from Hidden Morocco”
A trip to Morocco changed the course of Samantha Herron’s life. The English author fell in love with Morocco and its culture. Her passion was strong enough for her to study Arabic and live among a formerly nomadic Berber family in the Draa Valley on the edge of the Moroccan Sahara.
Moroccan researcher Ilham Skah receives the “Knowledge” Prize in Norway
Ilham Skah has been awarded with the “Knowledge Award” by the municipality of Oslo and a group of academic institutions for her Master research thesis on Muslim women in Norwegian universities.
IFAD: Moroccans in Spain have transferred $ 1.7 billion to Morocco in 2014
Moroccans are the foreign community in Spain that sent the most money to their country of origin, and then come the Chinese and Ecuadorian.
France says Italy must abide by EU immigration rules
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve hit back at Italy over responsibility for migrants on Monday, saying it must abide by European asylum rules and that France would continue to turn them back.
Danish parties vow to tighten immigration rules as election nears
TONDER, Denmark, June 15 — Recalling how a group of refugees once threatened his life if he did not retract a police statement, Frank Pedersen is angry about the increasing number of immigrants in Denmark.
Europe 'doesn't give a damn' about immigration quotas, says head of Italy's Northern League party as 40,000 migrants await redistribution
The EU’s migrant distribution plan appears to be in tatters, with sources in Brussels admitting that the redistribution of 24,000 African and Middle Eastern refugees currently in Italy and 16,000 in Greece will seemingly occur only on a voluntary basis.
International students face job hunting hurdles in Japan
A 23-year-old student from China who attends the prestigious University of Tokyo is now looking for a job in Japan.
Raif Badawi granted Quebec immigration selection certificate
The Quebec government has granted imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi a selection certificate, a first step meant to speed up his immigration process.
Shoes thrown at Immigration Minister Peter Dutton in Brisbane Australia
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton ducked one shoe thrown at him and caught another on Sunday morning.
Hungary's poster war on immigration
State-funded billboard in Budapest reads: "If you come to Hungary, do not take Hungarians'" jobs.
UK: Tories could capture millions of ethnic minority votes if they soften stance on immigration, says study
The Conservatives have a golden opportunity capture the ethnic minority vote if they soften their stance on immigration, according to a study by party modernisers.
The Association of Moroccan students in Bulgaria is officially launched
The Association of Moroccan students in Bulgaria (BVM) was officially launched on Friday in Sofia, at a ceremony attended by, among others, the Ambassador of Morocco in Bulgaria and Macedonia, Latifa Akharbach, representatives of the St. Kliment of Ohrid university, the Officers of the Association and representatives of Moroccans living in Bulgaria.
Paris: Moroccan skills residing abroad meet at the forum "Careers In Morocco"
Many professionals and graduates living abroad met Saturday in Paris, on the occasion of the 9th edition of the forum "Careers In Morocco", a platform for meetings between expatriates and Moroccan companies.
Oslo: Moroccan artistic ceremony in the honor of immigrant women
An artistic evening was organized this weekend in Oslo in honor of migrant women, as part of a Moroccan cultural event held in the Norwegian capital from 2 to 21 June.
Focus on the cities of Dakhla, Essaouira and Casablanca in the Lyon 2015 "Consular Celebrations"
As part of its participation in the "Consular celebrations" of Lyon 2015, this year bringing together more than 60 nations, Morocco Consulate General in Lyon has made a focus on the promotion of three destinations with high environmental, cultural and economic value as represented by the cities of Dakhla, Essaouira and Casablanca.
Strasbourg: End of the consular services of proximity for the Moroccan community in Verdun
The Consulate General of Morocco in Strasbourg ended Saturday in Verdun, historic town of Lorraine, the process of local services, launched on April 25 to members of the Moroccan community.
Moroccan talents come together for a meeting in Madrid
The work of the first national meeting of Moroccan intellectuals and professionals of Spain started Friday, June 12, 2015 in Madrid, under the theme "Towards the consolidation of a shared space."
Madrid: Meeting with Moroccan talents in Spain
The Platform Association of intellectuals and professionals of Moroccan origin in Spain (PIPROME) and the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) are organizing a meeting with Moroccan Spanish talents on the theme "Towards the consolidation of a shared space ", on 12 and 13 June 2015 in Madrid.
Barack Obama Says Will Keep Pushing to Fix US Immigration System
KRUEN: President Barack Obama said on Monday he is frustrated by U.S. federal court rulings that have stalled his immigration executive orders and will continue to push to fix the system.
Migrant crisis: Italy's north-south divide over immigration
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi could offer incentives to northern cities who accept more migrants in an attempt to quell an anti-immigration row brewing between the north and south.
Cameron says plans clampdown on non-EU immigration
The British government plans to significantly reduce immigration from outside the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday, teeing up a confrontation with business groups who fret their supply of skilled workers will be cut.
Hungary's anti-immigration campaign sparks controversy
Budapest (AFP) - New anti-immigration billboards put up by the Hungarian government have sparked political controversy, with the head of a small opposition party admitting on Monday that he had vandalised the state-funded posters.
Britain's new immigration blue print bears bad news for India
LONDON: Spouses of Indians coming into UK with a legitimate permission to work may soon be barred from working in Britain.
IOM: Mediterranean migrant crossings to Europe top 100.000 in 2015
Europe has seen 103 000 migrants reach its shores so far this year, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday.
Rabat: The CCME welcomes journalism students
The Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) welcomed today Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at the Council headquarters in Rabat, students of the Institute of journalism and media in Casablanca.
Mobile consulate to assist the Moroccan community in Mozambique
Morocco's embassy in Pretoria set up on the past weekend a mobile consulate in favor of the Moroccan community in Mozambique.
IOM: Morocco 4th in terms of benefiting from the MIDA program for “Repats”
The International Organization for Migration - IOM indicates that Morocco is the 4th country in Africa, benefiting the most, from the program 'MIDA - Migration for Development in Africa'.
The Netherlands call for help 45 Moroccan imams to prevent radicalization
Washington: Moroccan women take part in a U.S. program to fight terrorism
Washington: The US Department of Foreign Affairs organized an exchange program on the feminization of fighting terrorism. Morocco contributes to it.
France: Shots fired at a mosque in Carpentras
A mosque in Carpentras (Vaucluse), under construction and completion phase was the target of shots fired in the night from Sunday 7 to Monday, June 8, announced the Union of Mosques of France (UMF) in a statement.
Spain committed to pay special attention to Moroccan seasonal workers and to flexible family reunification procedures
The XI bilateral summit held last Friday, June 5, 2015 in Madrid between the governments of Madrid and Rabat has served to strengthen the bilateral relationship, marked by the desire of both countries to prioritize the shared interests and to diffuse the tensions.
Spain committed to pay special attention to Moroccan seasonal workers and to flexible family reunification procedures
UK: Eastern European migrants get free English lessons in Salford to help integrate with local people and find work
More than 150 Eastern European migrant workers are being given free English lessons to help them get work in Salford.
Nearly 6,000 migrants rescued this weekend, Italy feels overstretched
According to the Royal Navy, up to half a million people are currently waiting along the Libyan coast to try to cross the Mediterranean.
Swedish ship rescues 262 migrants off Libya
UPDATED: The Swedish surveillance and rescue ship Posedion has helped a large group of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean sea from Libya.
UK mulls cap on skilled migrants, Punjabis wary
CHANDIGARH: With the UK government recently announcing to put a cap on the skilled migrants, fate of many Indians, especially Punjabis, might hang in balance.
Italian leaders say no more migrants
ROME – Heartened by recent election successes by an anti-immigrant party, Italian politicians based in the north vowed Sunday not to shelter any more migrants saved at sea, even as thousands more were being rescued in the Mediterranean from smugglers’ boats in distress.
UK authorities find some 68 migrants in trucks at port northeast of London
LONDON – British police were questioning four Polish truck drivers Friday after authorities found 68 migrants crammed in the back of trucks at a port northeast of London.
Myanmar to start moving migrants to Bangladesh
Maungdaw, Myanmar: Some 150 migrants found adrift in a boat off Myanmar’s coast were set on Monday for transfer to neighbouring Bangladesh, an immigration official said, returning them to homes many tried to flee months ago.
Spain at odds with Commission over immigration
The Spanish government has rejected the Commission's proposal to place refugees on its territory. The executive’s plan should be “proportionate, fair and realistic”, said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel García-Margallo. EurActiv Spain reports.
Mexico Debuts Quickie Immigration Clearance for Some Arrivals at Popular Airports
Do the immigration lines at airports serving Mexico's big beach resorts seem to be getting longer and longer? Actually they are, because our neighbor south of the border is enjoying double-digit upturns in tourism - and the lines will likely get even longer next year when current caps on transborder flight frequencies are tossed out.
Many EU countries say “no” to immigration quotas
The European Commission has submitted a proposal to find a fairer way to admit and distribute asylum seekers in the EU. But it’s up to the member states to decide, and many don’t accept the proposed distribution of migrants. The EurActiv network reports.
UK: Hundreds protest to demand closure of Yarl’s Wood immigration centre
The largest protest staged against Britain’s most notorious immigration removal centre took place on Saturday, as campaigners denounced Yarl’s Wood as an “abomination” that should be closed immediately.
The 2015 Marhaba officially kicks off today
The “2015 Marhaba” operation to welcome returning Moroccans living abroad will officially start on Friday and run until Sept. 15, 2015, said a statement by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity.
CCME: Project of a traveling exhibition to promote the Moroccan culture in the museums of Catalonia
The Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) has organized Thursday, June 4, 2015, at the Council's headquarters, a working meeting to prepare for a traveling exhibition with the aim to present the Moroccan culture at the Museum of History of Catalonia located in the city of Barcelona, with the participation of a delegation of the Museum.
A story about an elderly Jewish lady and her Muslim neighbours that will warm your heart
Sometimes you hear a story that serves to counteract the relentless negativity towards religions that washes around us on a daily basis. More recently it is Muslims who have bore the brunt of this, with almost a third of schoolchildren believing that Muslims are “taking over our country”, and the fact that British Muslims face the worst job discrimination of any minority group.
June Celebrated as Immigrant Heritage Month in US
June marks the second annual Immigrant Heritage Month in the United States, meant to honor the accomplishments and role of immigrants in shaping U.S. history and culture.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2013 American Community Survey, the nation's immigrant population was more than 41 million, or 13 percent of the total population of 316 million.
Australia’s Tough Asylum Stance Attracts Regional Interest
CANBERRA, Australia—Australia’s tough approach to asylum seekers could become a model, with Australia’s government saying it has been approached by Southeast Asian nations looking to learn from its border-security approach.
Cambodia receives first group of asylum-seekers resettling under controversial Australia deal
Cambodia received its first batch of asylum-seekers from Australian custody today as part of a widely-criticised deal between the two countries.
A devastating Credit Suisse note says Britain's economy is doomed
Credit Suisse pension research chief Amlan Roy just published a devastating analysis of the UK's population demographics. He concludes, in part, that the ageing population of the UK is making the economy unsustainable, absent of some major change in demographics.
Doctors and teachers gagged under new immigration laws
Doctors and teachers working in immigration detention facilities could face up to two years in prison if they speak out against conditions in the centres or provide information to journalists, under sweeping new laws to gag whistleblowers.
Mexico to let 'Trusted Travelers' skip the long immigration lines
There’s good news for tourists and other travelers who go to Mexico a lot, and who belong to the U.S. Global Entry Program: The Mexican feds have come up with a way for you to skirt those long, long lines snaking up to the immigration desks at big airports south of the border. It’s already up and running at three terminals: the airport serving Cancun and the Riviera Maya, the airport at Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo) and at Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport.
New York immigrant becomes first licensed lawyer in the state after ruling
Cesar Vargas was born in Mexico, and he immigrated to the United States without documentation when he was 5. The 31-year-old graduated from City University of New York Law School in 2011 and then passed the bar, but when he applied to join the New York bar he was declined due to his immigration status.
Official Mauritanian delegation visiting Morocco to inquire about the Moroccan model of migration
The Secretary General of the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME), Abdellah Boussouf, met Wednesday in Rabat, with a delegation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, to discuss the Moroccan model of migration.
The XII High Level Moroccan –French meeting boosts hope for older Moroccan immigrants in France
The twelfth Franco-Moroccan meeting of Heads of Government held in Paris May 28, 2015 under the joint chairmanship of Messrs. Manuel Valls and Abdelilah Benkiran announces new perspectives for the social rights’ issue that affect Moroccan pensioners residing in France.
US Muslim wins hijab case against Abercrombie & Fitch
The US Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a Muslim woman who filed a lawsuit after she was denied a job at the Abercrombie & Fitch clothing chain because she wore a headscarf for religious reasons.
Migrants 'turned away by Australia' saved in Indonesia
Dozens of asylum seekers whose boat became stranded off Indonesia's Rote Island are being transferred to immigration authorities, after they were reportedly turned away at sea by Australian authorities, Indonesian officials said.