What happens in Skellefteå for those with work permits at Northvolt?

The bankruptcy trustee's decision on 22 May means that all battery production in Northvolt's factory in Skellefteå will cease on 30 June. When the redundancies and layoffs started last fall, the company had about 5000 employees, of which about 1700 had temporary residence permits based on their employment at Northvolt. When the company was declared bankrupt in March, all employees were given notice of redundancy. However, the bankruptcy trustee temporarily continued the battery manufacturing in Skellefteå and about 500 people with temporary residence permits continued to work in that business, which is now being closed down.

All those who have been employed by Northvolt as the basis for their temporary residence permit need a new job if they want to remain in Sweden. A number of people have already applied for an extension of their residence permit and are waiting for a decision. For others, the adjustment period starts from the last day of employment and can last up to three months. The alternative is to apply for a residence permit on other grounds – for example, doctoral studies or for business activities – otherwise you do not have the right to stay in Sweden. If you do not find a new basis for a residence permit, you must leave Sweden before the permit expires. The Swedish Migration Agency also has the right to revoke temporary residence permits after three months.

– The Swedish Migration Agency will not automatically revoke the residence permit on a certain date, instead this is a process where we examine each individual case. Everyone will be contacted – and that is why it is important to read and respond to letters and contacts from us, says Hanna Geurtsen, Deputy Head of Work Permits at the Swedish Migration Agency.

In addition to the written contacts that the Swedish Migration Agency makes during the processing of a case, the Agency has made information efforts on site in Skellefteå to answer questions and provide guidance on the rules that apply.

Many of the employees feel pressured due to the short time to find new employment and the questions about possible paths are numerous. Another question many people ask is how long the process of obtaining a new permit will take. The answer is that it depends on the type of permit that the person is applying for – i.e. the grounds invoked, but in many application processes it is generally the case that those who submit complete applications facilitate the processing.

For those who do not have a new job in Sweden and have no other grounds for a permit, there are two possible ways forward – to leave Sweden or to stay until the Swedish Migration Agency revokes the remaining permit. If the permit is revoked, the Swedish Migration Agency also makes a decision on deportation.

– We understand that waiting and uncertainty can be stressful. As for the group affected by Northvolt's bankruptcy, it is a small group in light of the fact that we have more than 27,000 open applications for work permits. However, we will process all cases that come in. As for the work of contacting those affected by the recall, we estimate that the work will begin in the fall, says Hanna Geurtsen.