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In Côtes-d'Armor, a 32-year-old undocumented Moroccan man is speaking out after two years of working off the books at a restaurant in Saint-Brieuc, Brittany. Souhail Bouguerba says he was exploited by his employer, who promised to help him get legal status in France, a promise that was never kept.
Souhail arrived in France in 2015 on a tourist visa and has worked a series of undeclared jobs, sometimes earning just four euros an hour. In 2023, he accepted a job from a restaurant owner with dual French-Moroccan nationality, who told him he would help sort out his immigration status. Instead, Souhail says he endured long hours, low pay, and verbal abuse. «He would often yell at me. I showed up to work even when I was sick. Some customers were worried about me», he told Le Parisien.
He worked around 55 hours a week and was paid in cash. In March, he received a text message from his boss telling him not to come back, with no explanation. «I was furious. I couldn’t sleep for three nights», Souhail said.
He has since taken his case to the labor court and filed a criminal complaint for undeclared work and degrading working conditions. Not long after, he was hit with an order to leave France. «I’m not giving up», he said. His brother, who lives in Morocco, is helping him pay his legal fees.
Souhail hopes sharing his story will encourage other undocumented workers to speak out. «I know at least three other people in the same situation, working in restaurants in Saint-Brieuc. In industries where there’s a labor shortage, employers take full advantage».
The restaurant has not responded to requests for comment, according to Le Parisien.
