4: Ordering labour: a shifting labour regime of a ‘green investment’

This chapter examines the evolving labour regime associated with the establishment of Northvolt's battery factory in Skellefteå, Sweden, with particular attention to its socio-economic impacts on the local community and migrant workers. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, the authors explore the rapid development of temporary housing solutions, the differentiation and disciplining of labour, and the challenges migrant workers face in adapting to the local context. The study illustrates how global green investments are reshaping local labour markets and housing policies, resulting in precarious and tightly regulated living and working conditions for migrant workers. These findings provide critical insights into the wider implications of green investments for labour mobility and social reproduction in peripheral regions.