Remittances from Tunisians Abroad: A Vital Source of Foreign Currency
Among the foreign currency resources that have helped save Tunisia's budget and external balance, we find remittances from Tunisians living abroad (TRE). In 2025, labor income totaled 11,444.6 MDT, which helped alleviate the pressure on demand for bilateral and multilateral financing.
Forms of Remittances
What we often forget is that these labor incomes are not exclusively cash-based. They can take two forms of transfers:
- Cash transfers: including remittances from Tunisian workers abroad (secondary income) and employee compensation (primary income)
- In-kind transfers: including imported vehicles under the FCR (Franchise for Change of Residence) regime
Breakdown of Remittances
Cash transfers amounted to 8,785.2 MDT, accounting for 76.8% of total labor income (83.1% in 2024). This evolution has been driven by the widespread adoption of digital money transfer solutions, which have significantly increased the speed, reliability, and accessibility of fund transfers. The remaining income consists of car imports under the FCR regime, valued at 2,659.4 MDT. This scheme exempts TRE from various customs duties and taxes.
Increased Contribution from the Diaspora
The contribution of the diaspora has increased from 16.9% to 23.2% of the total from one year to the next, mainly due to the effects of measures implemented in 2024, which granted benefits to Tunisians living abroad. In fact, Article 24 of the 2024 Finance Act states that Tunisians living abroad can benefit from a total or partial exemption from paying duties and taxes due once every ten years when importing or purchasing on the local market a motorcycle, tourist car, or professional vehicle, including all-terrain vehicles, with a total weight not exceeding three and a half tons (3.5 t).
The Strategic Role of the Diaspora
The diaspora, whose size continues to grow, is playing an increasingly strategic role in the country's economic development, stabilizing the balance of payments. This is partly a return on investment in education and training.
