Nawal, a placeholder name to shield the identity of a migrant worker, crossed the Tarajal border in hopes of finding work in Ceuta. Fourteen years earlier, as the worker approached the age of fifteen, social security contributions began to accrue, and a future retirement seemed within reach. The pandemic struck, however, and border closures in March 2020 abruptly ended those plans. “We were pushed into unemployment for two years, with no help from Spain or Morocco. We were abandoned, left homeless in many cases,” says a woman from Castillejos, Morocco, describing the frustration of those early days.
More than two years of shutdowns and a diplomatic rift between Rabat and Madrid left the Ceuta and Melilla border partially open only for people with EU or Schengen status. The path opened on May 31 at midnight for cross-border workers. The borders, closed for two years, disrupted the lives of thousands of Moroccans who worked in Ceuta or Melilla. First, the shutdown cost them jobs; now, many fear they may never cross and work as before if the border reopens only under restricted terms.
“New regulations require a consular visa and an agreement with employers to begin work again, with new papers to process, and documents to be sent to the consulate for later entry. That, honestly, is not feasible,” Nawal says. “At least they allowed entry with passports so we could claim our rights. If employers hire us, we can keep working; if not, we must at least be able to claim what is owed for these two years and the years we contributed to Social Security.”
doubts and rumors
Rumors outpace certainty on the streets and in coffee shops. Many cross-border workers lack the necessary documents to pass through, due to documents expiring in 2020 during the closure. Chakib Marouan, general secretary of the Moroccan Workers’ Union in Ceuta, notes that for now only about 140 people, out of roughly 3,600 potential workers, are allowed to enter Ceuta this week, signaling a cautious reopening.
“We urge Spanish and Moroccan authorities to permit access only to workers who had valid cards before the closure and to issue them a pass with a quarterly window to complete the paperwork,” explains the union representative. Currently, passes can be issued only to workers whose employers continued social security payments over the past two years and who have submitted the necessary documents to process and obtain a visa. “The problem is that many employers laid off their workers,” Marouan adds.
Paso del Tarajal with the autonomous city of Ceuta in the background. MARC FERRA
For workers no longer registered with Social Security, the path now requires restarting with the State Public Employment Agency. A possible hurdle is the rejection of hiring these workers, since INEM might question the need to hire Moroccans who are already trained locally. Some individuals had contributed to Social Security for more than two decades. There are even cases of people collecting pensions yet unable to withdraw funds from Spanish banks without access to Ceuta.
“The rights that exist in Spain must be applied here in Ceuta as well. People here work, pay taxes, and contribute to Social Security; they deserve equal rights and protections as those on the peninsula,” argues Nawal. The cross-border worker notes there are no jobs waiting in Castillejos. “The border has always connected trade, cross-border contracts, and local work. Now there is nothing but a blockade. If there is no livelihood, what do we do? Do we leave or do we die? A solution is needed so that rights are recognized and conditions regulated just like on the mainland,” she adds.
Two years without seeing family
Rachida Jraifi, a spokesperson for Ceuta’s stranded cross-border workers, describes a different kind of uncertainty. When the epidemic hit, she remained in Ceuta while her family stayed in Morocco, a distance felt in every day of waiting. “We expected a 15-day or a month-long shutdown; it stretched to two years and three months,” she recalls. Efforts to return to Morocco were blocked, and she remains in Ceuta without a clear timeline for crossing the border again.
Rachida now holds a valid contract, but the border closure means her cross-border permit, which must be renewed annually, has expired. The renewal process requires documents she could not obtain because she could not travel to Morocco or access the issuing administration. An expired passport compounds the challenge. She faces the reality that renewing the permit is not possible from the other side, leaving her in limbo about whether she will be able to return to Ceuta if she travels to Morocco without renewing the permit.
Two years have passed without many of these workers seeing family members and enjoying basic rights. Despite contributions, several procedures such as work permits and health cards have become inaccessible with the border closed. A clinic visit, for instance, can trigger a denial without a valid family medicine card. Rachida questions whether health access is being fairly denied and wonders what happens to SGK contributions during this period.