By Qualcomm is preparing to cut jobs worldwide starting in November, according to HRKatha, which cited an internal memo from CEO Cristiano Amon. The layoffs follow the company’s annual performance reviews and form part of a broader restructuring plan. Qualcomm has not disclosed how many of its roughly 52,000 global employees will be affected.
The company will assess roles based on business priorities, organizational requirements and employee skills before finalizing the cuts. Amon’s memo, as reported by HRKatha citing Reuters, said the layoffs are aimed at strengthening a performance-driven culture and aligning talent with the company’s evolving needs. The move comes as Qualcomm faces a downturn in its smartphone chip business, with weakened consumer electronics demand and rising component costs squeezing margins.
Why the smartphone slowdown is hitting now
Qualcomm’s core mobile chip business is under pressure from multiple directions. The company warned that revenue from Apple products would decline faster than anticipated, a significant signal given Apple’s weight as a customer. At the same time, competition from MediaTek and Apple’s custom silicon has intensified, according to interviewpal.com’s analysis of Qualcomm’s workforce shifts.
The company’s July earnings forecast fell short of analyst expectations. Qualcomm expects growth in data center chips, automotive systems and connected devices to offset the smartphone slowdown by the 2027 financial year. That timeline matters for employees: it suggests the company is planning for a multi-year transition, not a short-term dip. Roles tied to legacy mobile chipset technologies face the highest risk, while positions in automotive, IoT and data center work are comparatively safer.
What the November cuts mean for US employees
For HR and payroll teams in the United States, the November start date creates specific obligations. Qualcomm has not published severance terms for this round, and no source in the available reporting provides package details. US employers conducting large-scale reductions must typically evaluate whether the action triggers the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which requires 60 days’ notice for plant closings or mass layoffs at covered sites. Whether Qualcomm’s cuts reach WARN thresholds depends on the number of employees affected at individual US locations, which the company has not disclosed.
Payroll teams should prepare for final pay timing rules that vary by state. California, where Qualcomm is headquartered in San Diego, requires immediate payment of final wages to employees who are laid off, including accrued vacation time. Other states have different deadlines. Employers with affected workers in multiple states should confirm each state’s final paycheck and accrual payout rules before the November action begins.
How this compares to previous Qualcomm layoffs
Qualcomm has used targeted reductions before, but the scale and framing have varied. In April 2026, the company cut 60 employees in San Diego, primarily senior positions across research and development, product management and administrative functions, according to interviewpal.com. That round represented roughly 0.5 percent of the workforce and left international operations largely intact.
An earlier round in 2018 was far larger. Qualcomm confirmed it had started layoffs that Bloomberg reported would eliminate 1,500 jobs in California, according to fierce-network.com. Those cuts were part of a $1 billion cost reduction plan announced in January 2018, and Qualcomm said it first evaluated non-headcount expense reductions before concluding workforce cuts were needed. The 2018 context was different: Qualcomm was struggling to close its acquisition of NXP while facing a reported take-private attempt by former CEO Paul Jacobs.
The November round differs in both trigger and scope. It is explicitly global, tied to a smartphone chip downturn rather than a deal-related cost target, and framed around performance and skills alignment rather than a fixed dollar savings goal.
What HR and payroll teams should do before November
The gap between announcement and execution gives HR and payroll teams a short window to prepare. First, confirm which roles and locations are in scope. Qualcomm has said it will assess roles based on business priorities, organizational requirements and employee skills, which suggests the final list may not be fixed yet.
Second, review internal mobility options. Qualcomm’s stated pivot toward automotive, data center and connected devices means some employees in shrinking mobile teams may have transferable skills. HR teams should identify open roles in growth areas and establish a process for matching at-risk employees before termination decisions are finalized.
Third, prepare payroll for multi-country final payments. Worldwide reductions involve different notice periods, severance norms and tax treatment across jurisdictions. US payroll teams should coordinate with international counterparts to avoid compliance gaps in countries where statutory notice or consultation requirements apply.
| Layoff round | Date | Scale | Primary trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| November cuts | Starting November | Undisclosed, worldwide | Smartphone chip downturn |
| San Diego cuts | April 2026 | 60 employees | Restructuring toward automotive and IoT |
| California cuts | April 2018 | 1,500 jobs | $1 billion cost reduction plan |
The November action leaves several questions unanswered. Qualcomm has not disclosed total headcount impact, specific countries or offices affected, severance terms, or whether the company is using attrition and hiring freezes before involuntary cuts. Employees and investors will need to watch for further disclosure as the assessment process moves toward final decisions.
Sources: HRKatha
Photo: Bogdanov 001 by Ivan Bogdanov, Public domain
