Normally, a work permit holder loses their right to stay in Sweden three months after their notice period runs out – unless they manage to find a new job by then.
"The bankruptcy of a major company such as Northvolt is an unusual situation which the Migration Agency hasn't handled on this scale before," a statement issued by the Migration Agency reads.
"Generally, employees at a bankrupt company keep their employment until they are dismissed and their notice period expires."
According to the agency, there are currently 1,650 approved work permits where Northvolt was listed as the employer at the point of application.
However, that doesn't automatically mean that all of those work permit holders all still working for Northvolt, as work permits aren't always tied to a certain employer.
In other words, some of those people may have already moved on to other employers, and some may have been laid off or quit for other reasons, but their permits have not yet been revoked.
After last year's layoffs at Northvolt, the Migration Agency followed up on 350 people who had work permits at the time. Some of them have left the country, around 100 have applied for new permits, around 60 have been granted new permits and just over 80 temporary permits are currently subject to revocation. However, no decision to revoke residency or work permits has yet been made, said the agency.
People with pending work permit applications for work at Northvolt will have their applications processed "once the situation regarding their employment is clarified", said the Migration Agency, both regarding first-time applications and applications to extend a work permit.
"These cases can no longer be considered complete as the bankruptcy trustee has now taken over the company's assets. How they are to be processed going forward depends on how the bankruptcy process develops – but we are of course monitoring this and are in contact with the bankruptcy trustee," Migration Agency official Hanna Geurtsen said in a statement.
Do you work at Northvolt or are otherwise affected? Get in touch with us at news@thelocal.se – you have the right to be anonymous.
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