Qualcomm will cut jobs worldwide after its annual performance reviews, CEO Cristiano Amon told employees in an internal memo on October 20, 2026, reported by Reuters. Notifications start in November. The memo does not say how many jobs will go.
What we know
- Who: employees worldwide, chosen after the annual reviews. Amon described it as a performance-focused reduction aimed at people who have consistently fallen short of expectations.
- Other criteria: business priorities, organizational needs, skills and expertise will also be weighed, according to the memo.
- When: employees will be told starting in November.
- How many: not disclosed. Qualcomm had about 52,000 employees as of September 2025.
Why now
Qualcomm has been hit this year by weaker consumer electronics sales, as soaring memory prices weigh on demand, Reuters reports. In late July it forecast quarterly profit below analysts’ expectations and said revenue from Apple would decline faster than expected.
Earlier rounds were framed around costs. In 2023 Qualcomm cut 1,258 positions in San Diego and Santa Clara, according to California filings. This year it filed a WARN notice for 105 workers in California in April, which is in our tech layoff tracker.
What a performance-based layoff means for you
- It is still a layoff. If enough people lose their jobs at one site, the employer must give WARN notice: 60 days under federal law, and California has its own rules (California EDD). We track California notices in our California WARN tracker.
- Unemployment: in most states, losing a job for not meeting performance expectations is treated differently from being fired for misconduct, so you can usually still apply. Check with your state (U.S. Department of Labor).
- Severance: read the agreement before you sign, and compare it with what other tech companies pay in our severance calculator. See also how to negotiate severance.
Sources
- Reuters via U.S. News: Qualcomm to cut jobs worldwide in performance-focused layoffs, internal memo shows
- CNBC: Qualcomm performance-focused layoffs
- Tom’s Hardware: Qualcomm to cut jobs globally in performance-based layoffs