Moroccan doctor moves to France to help, ends up trapped in debt

She left Morocco with hopes of building a career in the French public healthcare system. Today, she nearly regrets that decision. A doctor with a degree from outside the European Union (Padhue), she has been practicing in Seine-et-Marne for several years. Like around 50 of her colleagues at the Grand Hôpital de l’Est Francilien (GHEF), she now finds herself in an absurd and distressing situation: she is being asked to repay €60,000.

The issue centers around a «differential bonus» that was paid out for years to make hard-to-fill positions more attractive. The hospital now claims the payments had no legal basis. They were suspended at the end of 2024, and management has since demanded reimbursement of the sums paid out over the past two years, amounting to a total of €2.7 million across the practitioners.

For this Moroccan doctor, the news came as a shock. «After eight to ten years of study, I would never have come to France to earn €1,500 or €2,000, which is what I would be paid if I’d stayed in Morocco», she told Le Parisien. What she thought would be a stable life has instead left her saddled with a massive debt and a salary that’s now been cut in half. «Trust is broken. Everyone here is dreaming of leaving GHEF», she added.

Like many other Padhue doctors, she was brought in to fill staffing shortages in French hospitals. Often hired in emergency situations, these doctors cover understaffed shifts, handle emergency cases, and work nights and weekends. «We’re constantly asked to cover gaps, sometimes without even getting paid», she said.

Now, morale is crumbling. Many doctors are taking on extra shifts just to survive, while others are struggling to cope. «Imagine how my colleagues feel, dealing with all this stress while also having to study... Some are burned out but keep working, others are on sick leave with depression», the Moroccan practitioner explained, visibly overwhelmed.

The CGT union and SOS Padhue have condemned the situation as deeply unjust. According to them, the bonuses were included in the employment contracts, and the doctors committed no wrongdoing, they simply accepted what was offered. «It’s clearly easier to go after precarious workers who don’t fully understand French law and who fear losing their jobs and residence permits», said the CGT.

Kahina Hireche Ziani, spokesperson for SOS Padhue, criticized the system itself. «The decrees are deliberately vague, which gives hospital directors free rein», she said. Several doctors have filed legal challenges. In the meantime, frustration and fatigue continue to grow.