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Glossary of Moroccan work terms: SMIG, SMAG, CNSS, AMO, CNIE and trade vocabulary
Looking for work or hiring in Morocco, languages and terms mix: French abbreviations on documents, Darija words among craftspeople, administrative vocabulary. This glossary gathers the most common ones with a short explanation. It is informational and does not replace the official text.
Pay and law
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| SMIG | Guaranteed minimum wage outside agriculture, per hour: 17.92 dirhams since 1 January 2026. |
| SMAG | Guaranteed agricultural minimum wage, per day: 97.44 dirhams since 1 April 2026. |
| Labour Code | Law 65-99, which governs employment: hiring, hours, rest, pay, dismissal. |
| Employment contract | An agreement between employer and employee on work, pay and duration. Best written down even where not mandatory. |
| Bulletin officiel | The publication where laws and decrees appear, including those raising the minimum wages. |
| Labour inspectorate | The body to approach for a complaint about unpaid wages or labour-law breaches. |
Social cover and documents
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CNSS | National Social Security Fund: receives the employer's declaration and contributions and gives access to family allowances and retirement. |
| AMO | Basic compulsory health insurance. |
| CNIE / CIN | Electronic national ID card. Used to verify identity on Khedma. |
| RIB | Bank account identifier used to receive transfers. |
| Auto-entrepreneur | A simplified status for self-employed people, with lighter declarations and tax. |
| Invoice | A document detailing the work, price, date and parties. |
Trade and work words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Maalem | An experienced craftsperson who leads the site or owns a trade, respected for their know-how. |
| Sanai | A skilled worker in a trade. |
| Apprentice | The apprentice learning a trade under a maalem. |
| Hammal | A porter who carries goods and furniture. |
| Fellah | A farmer, farm worker or landowner. |
| Negafa | A specialist who dresses the bride and organises weddings. |
| Zellige / zellaji | Traditional ceramic mosaic and the craftsperson who lays it. |
| Gebbas | A plasterer and maker of carved plaster decoration. |
| Souk | The market; on Khedma, the space for making offers and negotiating price. |
| Yawmiya | The pay for one day of work. |
Sources
- Code du travail (Loi 65-99), texte consolidé officiel — Ministère de la Justice, portail Adala
- Chef du Gouvernement — Social dialogue round, April 2025: private-sector SMIG +5% from 1 January 2026 and SMAG +5% from 1 April 2026 (official; states the schedule, not the amounts)
- Bladi.net — amounts 17,92 DH/h and 97,44 DH/day, decree n° 2.25.983 (press report; Bulletin officiel n° 7469 could not be opened from our network, verify there)
- Secrétariat Général du Gouvernement — Bulletin officiel
- CNSS — Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale
Keep reading
Minimum wage in Morocco in 2026: SMIG vs SMAG explained
A plain-language guide to Morocco's legal minimum wage in 2026: the hourly SMIG outside agriculture, the daily SMAG in farming, how to calculate them and how Khedma applies them.
Workers' rights in Morocco: the basics every worker and employer should know
A simple introduction to Morocco's Labour Code: minimum age, working time, weekly rest, overtime, social security and the specifics of domestic and farm workers, with links to official sources.
Paying safely in Morocco: cash, receipts, invoices and what to keep
When to pay and when to be paid, how to prove a cash payment, the difference between a receipt and an invoice, and what to do if one side refuses.
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