Swedish giant Northvolt and American GM will need hundreds of workers from abroad to start production at their factory in Quebec.
“It is still too early to say an exact number of experts we will need, but to give an estimate it will be a few hundred, including Northvolt employees and employees of our suppliers,” said Northvolt spokesman Laurent Therrien told the Journal.
“Our plans do not include foreign workers coming to build the factory in Quebec. Construction contracts will be awarded to companies already based here,” he emphasized.
Construction of the first 30 GWh phase of the Northvolt plant will begin at the end of the year. Illustration provided by Northvolt
GM-POSCO too
150 kilometers away, in Bécancour, in Center-du-Québec, the General Motors (GM) and POSCO (Ultium CAM) plants will also need workers with the necessary expertise to put the factory into operation.
“Ultium CAM acts in full compliance with Canadian and Quebec laws regarding the employment of temporary foreign workers,” GM Canada spokeswoman Jennifer J. Wright told the Journal.
“A limited number of specialized temporary workers will be employed to oversee the installation of the equipment and ensure that it operates in the best conditions,” it added.
Ultium CAM factory model provided by GM-POSCO
Northvolt’s $7 billion factory is at the heart of the battery sector that the Legault government cares about, and GM-POSCO’s $500 million factory is also an important link.
Remember that the Stellantis factory in Ontario has to hire South Koreans.
Summit discussion
In recent days, Canadian Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne discussed this topic with Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.
“Of course we want to maximize the benefits for Canadian workers,” the minister said, saying Stellantis remained committed to its intention to create 2,500 jobs for Canadians, in addition to 2,000 jobs during construction of the factory.
“However, you have to understand that this is a new technology. We have never really made batteries in North America, so a few people, very few, have to be chosen to transfer the technology because it is a new industry,” he explained.
For his part, Immigration Minister Marc Miller mentioned that there is an agreement between Canada and South Korea that allows workers from both countries to work in the other country without going through the foreign worker program.
–In collaboration with QMI Agency