Qualcomm will cut jobs worldwide following its annual employee reviews, with notifications to affected staff scheduled to begin in November, according to an internal memo from CEO Cristiano Amon reviewed by Reuters.
The company has not disclosed how many positions will be affected, leaving employees uncertain about the scale of the planned reductions and which roles could be at risk.
In the memo sent on Monday, 19 October, Amon described the move as a 'performance-focused reduction' intended to build 'a stronger performance culture' and address situations where the company 'has consistently fallen short of expectations'.
Amon said the cuts would take account of business priorities, organisational needs, skills and expertise, indicating that Qualcomm's wider workforce requirements would also factor into decisions about which positions to eliminate.
Employees Could Receive Notices From November
The November timeline gives employees an indication of when they could learn whether their jobs are affected, but the overall scale of the cuts remains unknown. Reuters reported that the memo did not specify how many jobs would be affected and that it could not immediately determine the extent of the reductions.
Qualcomm had approximately 52,000 employees worldwide as of September 2025, most of them full-time, according to Reuters. That figure provides context for the size of the company, not an estimate of the number of jobs at risk.
Qualcomm did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on the planned job reductions.
The memo does not identify the departments, locations or individual roles that will be affected. Nor does the reporting explain how Qualcomm will weigh individual performance reviews against broader organisational requirements, leaving employees without a clear picture of how the selection process will work.
CEO Cristiano Amon Says Qualcomm Needs the Right Skills
Amon linked the planned reductions to changes in the company's business and the capabilities it needs as it expands.
'As we have expanded the business, so have the competencies and skills we require,' he wrote in the memo. 'We must have the right people in the right roles so they can perform at their best and the company can continue to succeed.'
Reuters reports, citing an internal memo from CEO Cristiano Amon, that Qualcomm will make global "performance-focused" job cuts after annual reviews, with notifications from November. No headcount was given.#Techage #Qualcomm #Layoffs #Chips #Tech pic.twitter.com/fSihaBMNoC
— Techage (@techageone) October 20, 2026
The comments suggest that the decisions will involve more than individual performance ratings alone, although the memo does not explain how the different considerations will be weighed. Qualcomm has not disclosed the detailed criteria it will use to select positions for elimination.
Reuters' report did not provide details about severance arrangements or support for affected employees. It also remains unclear whether further organisational changes will follow the November notifications.
Qualcomm Faces Pressure From a Changing Electronics Market
The planned cuts come as Qualcomm navigates a difficult environment for consumer electronics. The company, one of the world's largest smartphone chipmakers, has faced a slowdown in consumer electronics sales, while rising memory prices have weighed on demand in important markets, Reuters reported.
Qualcomm is also expanding beyond smartphones into the AI data-centre market. In its late-July earnings report, the company forecast quarterly profit below analysts' estimates and said revenue from Apple products would decline faster than expected. It nevertheless signalled that growth in data-centre and other non-handset businesses would more than offset the lost revenue by fiscal 2027, Reuters reported.
Qualcomm expects the majority of its chip sales to come from businesses outside smartphones in fiscal 2027 as it expands into the AI data-centre market.
These developments provide context for the company's wider business priorities, but Qualcomm has not said that weaker consumer electronics demand or its outlook for Apple-related revenue directly prompted the latest job cuts. Amon's memo instead emphasised performance, organisational needs, skills and expertise.
What Happens Next for Qualcomm Employees?
The immediate milestone is November, when Qualcomm is scheduled to begin notifying affected employees. The total number of positions involved remains undisclosed, and the reports have not identified the teams or locations that could face cuts.
Further details from Qualcomm will be needed to clarify how the selection process will work and what support will be available to employees whose jobs are eliminated. For now, the internal memo confirms a global workforce reduction without establishing its overall scale.
