Published on · By the IT LABS PRO team
The biggest practical advantage of a team in Morocco is not the price: it is time. Your developers are awake, at their desks and available while you are. Add French and English as working languages and a business culture familiar to Europeans, and collaboration feels close to having the team down the corridor. Here is how to make the most of it.
Time zones: GMT all year round
Since 20 September 2026, Morocco has been on GMT all year round, with no seasonal change. That makes planning simple:
| Your city | Winter | Summer |
|---|---|---|
| London, Dublin, Lisbon | Same time | Morocco 1 hour behind |
| Paris, Brussels, Madrid, Berlin | Morocco 1 hour behind | Morocco 2 hours behind |
| New York, Toronto, Montreal | Morocco 5 hours ahead | Morocco 4 hours ahead |
| Dubai | Morocco 4 hours behind | Morocco 4 hours behind |
With a typical Moroccan working day of 9:00 to 17:00 or 18:00, a team works almost the same hours as the UK and Western Europe. With North America’s East Coast, mornings in New York overlap with afternoons in Morocco: three to four hours a day, enough for a daily call and quick answers.
Languages
Arabic (Moroccan Darija in everyday life) and Amazigh are the official and national languages, but French is widely used in business, administration and higher education, and English is the working language of software development and is spreading fast among younger developers. In the north, Spanish is common too.
- For a French-speaking client, the whole project can run in French: specifications, meetings, tickets.
- For an English-speaking client, check the English level of the people you will actually talk to, not just the sales contact. Code, comments and technical documentation are usually written in English anyway.
- Agree from the start on the project language for documents and tools, to avoid a mix.
The rhythm of the year
- Working week: Monday to Friday, like in Europe. Some companies take a longer lunch break on Friday for prayers.
- Public holidays: civil holidays on fixed dates (such as 1 January, 1 May, Throne Day on 30 July, Green March Day on 6 November, Independence Day on 18 November) and religious holidays (Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year, the Prophet’s birthday) whose dates move each year with the lunar calendar. Ask your partner for its holiday calendar at the start of the year.
- Ramadan: many companies shorten the working day during the month of Ramadan. Plan demos and deadlines with that in mind; teams stay productive, but hours change.
- Summer: holidays are often taken in July and August, as in Europe. A good partner organises cover so that your project does not stop.
Communication rituals that work
A short daily or regular check-in
Fifteen minutes by video: what was done, what is next, what is blocking. With the shared working hours, it can be at any convenient time.
A weekly or fortnightly demo
Seeing working software regularly is the best protection against misunderstandings. Each demo should end with your feedback and the priorities for the next period.
One shared tool for tasks
A task board (Jira, Trello, GitHub or GitLab issues, or similar) where every request, question and bug lives, rather than scattered e-mails and chat messages.
Written decisions
After a call, a few lines summarising what was decided. It helps everyone, especially when not everyone works in their first language.
One point of contact on each side
A project manager or lead developer on the Moroccan side, a product owner on yours. Everyone can talk to everyone, but decisions go through these two people.
Working culture: a few tips
- Invite questions explicitly: some developers hesitate to say “I did not understand” to a client. Make it clear that questions are welcome and expected.
- Explain the why: a team that understands the business goal makes better decisions than one that only receives tickets.
- Visit once if you can: Marrakesh, Casablanca or Rabat are a short flight from most European capitals, and a day together builds trust that lasts the whole project.
- Give feedback quickly: a reply the same day keeps the team moving; waiting a week for approvals is the most common cause of delay.
Frequently asked questions
Does Morocco still change its clocks during Ramadan?
Under the old GMT+1 system, Morocco moved its clocks back during Ramadan. Since 20 September 2026 the country stays on GMT all year round, so there is no clock change, only shorter working hours in many companies during Ramadan.
Can we work in English only?
Yes, with a team used to international clients. Check the English level of the people you will work with day to day during your first calls.
How much overlap is there with the US?
With the East Coast, about three to four working hours a day (Moroccan afternoon, US morning). With the West Coast, overlap is short: plan asynchronous work and one regular call.
In short
On GMT all year round, Morocco shares almost the whole working day with the UK and Western Europe and a few hours with North America. French and English are working languages, the week runs Monday to Friday, and a few simple rituals (regular check-ins, demos, one task tool, written decisions) make a remote team feel local. Learn more about why companies outsource to Morocco or talk to us through our offshore software development page.