Amazon announces fresh layoffs in 2026, cuts 16,000 jobs across corporate teams

Global tech giant Amazon has announced a new round of layoffs in 2026, cutting approximately 16,000 corporate roles worldwide, taking the company’s total corporate workforce reduction close to 30,000 employees over the past few months. The decision has sent shockwaves across the global tech industry, with significant impact expected across multiple divisions, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Prime Video, and Human Resources.

 The announcement was made through an internal communication authored by Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology at Amazon, and later published on Amazon News. Galetti stated that the latest layoffs are part of an ongoing organizational restructuring process that began in October 2025, aimed at reducing management layers, increasing ownership, and eliminating bureaucracy.

Restructing Of October Decision

Amazon did it again. 16K layoffs. pic.twitter.com/BKQr9D0xUK

— Amanda Goodall (@thejobchick) January 28, 2026

 According to the company, while several teams completed their restructuring in October, others finalized their organizational changes only recently, leading to the fresh round of job cuts. Employees affected by the layoffs in the United States will be given a 90-day internal job search window to find alternative roles within Amazon. The timeline may vary internationally based on local labor laws and country-specific regulations.

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 For those unable to secure another position internally or who choose not to pursue one, Amazon has said it will offer transition support, including severance pay, outplacement services, and continued health insurance benefits, where applicable.

Hiring To Be Continued

 While Amazon emphasized that this does not signal a new cycle of recurring layoffs, the company acknowledged that teams will continue to evaluate their structure, speed, and capacity to innovate in a rapidly changing global environment. At the same time, Amazon said it will continue hiring and investing in strategic growth areas critical to its long-term future.

 The layoffs are expected to have a notable impact in India, where Amazon employs a large corporate, technology, and operations workforce. Employees across Indian offices are reportedly bracing for potential role reductions, particularly in support and technology functions.

 Despite the cuts, Amazon maintained that it remains in the early stages of building many of its businesses and sees ‘significant opportunity ahead’.