Qualcomm job cuts in November: How many employees could lose their jobs and when will it be announced?

Qualcomm is set to announce another round of layoffs in November, following a memo from CEO Cristiano Amon earlier this month outlining plans to cut jobs, Reuters reported. However, the chipmaker has not disclosed how many employees will be affected or specified a date for the announcement. Qualcomm had approximately 52,000 employees worldwide as of September 2025. Here is what we know so far about Qualcomm's planned job cuts in November.

If announced, Qualcomm will join the growing list of tech companies who have announced job cuts this year. Just recenly, Microsoft announced a voluntary retirement option for 60,000 of its employees. Amazon has announced two rounds of lay offs this month itself. Dropbox also announced to lay off 9 per cent of its workforce just yesterday. According to data of Layoffs.fyi, 334 tech companies have laid off 135,446 employees so far in 2026.

What Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said about layoffs

According to Reuters, Amon told employees in a memo that the job cuts were part of an effort to build “a stronger performance culture” and address situations where the company “has consistently fallen short of expectations.”


Amon said the company would consider its business priorities, organisational needs, and the skills and expertise required when deciding which positions to eliminate.

“As we have expanded the business, so have the competencies and skills we require,” he wrote. “We must have the right people in the right roles so they can perform at their best and the company can continue to succeed.”

How many Qualcomm employees could lose their jobs?

The exact number of employees who will be affected remains unclear. However, industry estimates suggest that Qualcomm's India workforce could face significant cuts.

The Economic Times reported that 3% to 6% of Qualcomm's approximately 20,000 employees in India could be at risk, citing industry estimates.

EIIRTrend has projected more than 1,000 job cuts, while UnearthInsight expects fewer than 3% of the company's local workforce to be affected.

“Globally, the estimate is about 6-7% headcount reduction, and India should also see a similar range,” Pareekh Jain, chief executive of EIIRTrend, told The Economic Times.

These figures are estimates and do not represent an official headcount reduction announced by Qualcomm.

Why is Qualcomm cutting jobs?

Qualcomm, one of the world's largest smartphone chipmakers, is navigating challenges in the consumer electronics market as rising memory prices weigh on demand in key markets.

In its latest earnings report in July 2026, Qualcomm forecast quarterly profit below analysts' estimates. The company also said revenue from Apple-related products would decline faster than expected.

However, Qualcomm indicated that growth in data centres and other businesses outside the handset market would more than offset the lost revenue by fiscal 2027.

The company is expanding into the fast-growing AI data-centre market as it seeks to diversify beyond smartphones. Qualcomm expects businesses outside smartphones to account for the majority of its chip sales in fiscal 2027.

Qualcomm Layoffs in 2026: What do the records show?

According to LayoffIQ, which tracks job cuts through US Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices, Qualcomm Incorporated had filed 19 WARN notices since the beginning of 2026, affecting 156 workers. The most recent notice listed by the tracker was dated April 8, 2026, in San Diego, California.

However, these filings reflect reported US job cuts and should not be treated as the company's total global layoffs for the year. Qualcomm has not yet disclosed the number of employees who will be affected by its planned November cuts.