Sweden’s Social Democrat opposition is calling on the government to double the three-month job-hunting deadline for work permit holders laid off in the Northvolt crisis.
As The Local has previously reported, non-EU work permit holders have three months after their notice period ends to find a new job – or risk losing their right to stay in Sweden.
Many of those left unemployed after struggling battery maker Northvolt applied for bankruptcy on March 12th fall into this category, and the Social Democrats are now calling for the three months to be temporarily extended to six months.
“To keep the skills in Sweden and safeguard Swedish growth and jobs,” the party’s labour market spokesperson Ardalan Shekarabi explained to public broadcaster SVT.
“It’s not reasonable that we lose these skills and that people are being forced to leave our country when they hold so much knowledge,” he added.
Shekarabi argued that extending the deadline would help Swedish businesses find the right people for their open positions.
“We have companies that are screaming for staff but matching them up takes time,” he said.
By calling for an extension of the three months Shekarabi joins a host of other voices, such as the Centre Party and local representatives in Skellefteå, as well as The Local’s editor, who proposed the idea in an opinion piece back in September.
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Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell, however, told SVT that extending the deadline was not on the table, as it would require major legislative changes.
“Assessing the consequences and putting together a new law takes longer than three months,” he said.