Qualcomm plans global job cuts following its annual employee reviews, with notifications expected to begin in November.
The company has not revealed how many jobs will be eliminated or where the reductions will be made, a Reuters report quoted an internal memo sent to employees by CEO Cristiano Amon.
The move is part of a wider organisational exercise to align the company’s workforce with business priorities, organisational requirements and the skills it needs.
There is, however, no confirmed information yet that Qualcomm’s November 2026 job cuts will affect employees in India.
Emphasis on Skills
The changes are directed towards matching talent to changing business needs. In his address to employees, Amon said that as Qualcomm’s technology footprint continues to grow, the skills needed throughout the company have increased.
The initiative is designed to create a more robust performance culture and correct some of the areas the company has always underperformed, the reported memo said.
The following are some important points about the realignment:
Timeline: Employee notifications are expected to start in November.
Scope: The exercise covers global operations and considers business priorities, organisational requirements, skills and competencies.
Number of jobs: The company has not disclosed how many employees will be affected or which locations will see cuts.
Workforce size: Qualcomm had approximately 52,000 employees globally as of September 2025, according to Reuters.
Strategic Pivot
Qualcomm’s organisational changes come as the company expands beyond its traditional smartphone-chip business into areas such as AI data centres, automotive systems and the Internet of Things.
Qualcomm has set a target of $40 billion in non-handset revenue by fiscal 2029.
The company also expects year-on-year growth in non-handset revenue, including data centres, to accelerate from 24% in fiscal 2026 to more than 60% in fiscal 2027. These are company forecasts, not confirmed future results.
In September 2026, Qualcomm announced a multi-generational collaboration with Amazon to develop customised silicon for AI data centres and optical connectivity solutions for data-centre networks.
Likely Impact
Qualcomm’s emphasis on performance, business priorities and specific skills highlights the criteria described in the reported internal memo.
However, the company has not disclosed which roles, teams or locations will be affected.
The announcement does not specify if Qualcomm’s India operations will be part of the cuts.
The company has also not disclosed the number of jobs that have been impacted.
The first development to look out for is employee notifications, which will begin in November for technology professionals.
More information regarding the scale and geographical spread of the job cuts will be required to understand the effect of the job cuts on the company’s workforce in India and elsewhere.