Job Loss Crisis Looms for Nearly 2000 Former Northvolt Employees in Sweden

Nearly 2000 former employees of Northvolt, the beleaguered battery company, are facing potential expulsion from Sweden due to job losses following the company's bankruptcy in March 2025. These employees, primarily from non-European countries, must secure new employment within a critical 90-day timeframe, a deadline looming in September. According to Camilla Edholm from the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen), the urgency of the situation cannot be understated; as of now, only 230 of the employees have successfully found new jobs. This leaves a staggering number facing the reality of joblessness and the expiration of work permits. "Many of their work permits will expire in the fall, in September," Edholm stated, emphasizing the dire situation many find themselves in. Among the impacted, Soroush Molanaei, a former marketing employee at Northvolt, reflected on her own job searching struggles. However, there is a silver lining for Molanaei who recently secured a practice position alongside her husband also finding employment in Gothenburg, allowing them to remain in Sweden. "The stability is very important during this uncertain time," she expressed, highlighting the emotional toll that job loss and the impending deadline have taken on former employees. The plight of these workers not only illustrates the immediate individual struggles but also raises broader questions about immigration policy and labor market stability in Sweden as the country grapples with the fallout from Northvolt's demise.