Tech Layoffs in 2026 Already Surpass Entire 2025 Total
U.S. tech-sector layoffs have exceeded all of 2025 by early September, with over 155,000 announced cuts through August across 365 companies. AI-driven restructuring is the primary factor, but even as layoffs surge, tech hiring remains active.
The U.S. technology sector has reached a sobering milestone in 2026: announced job cuts have already surpassed the total for all of 2025, and with four months still remaining in the year. According to multiple tracking sources, tech companies announced 155,126 cuts through August alone, a 52 percent increase over the same period in 2025. This surge spans 365 reported layoff events affecting over 209,000 workers across software development, fintech, e-commerce, and support roles.
Why the cuts are accelerating
- AI adoption is cited in roughly 22 percent of all announced cuts, but restructuring and cost-cutting remain the leading reasons
- Major players including Oracle (30,000 cuts), Salesforce, Apple, TikTok, and ServiceNow have all announced significant reductions
- Tech companies are reworking operating models to capitalize on AI demand while eliminating overlapping functions
- Some analysts note "AI redundancy washing," where companies cite AI as justification for cuts they would have made anyway
A mixed labor-market picture
Despite the headlines, tech hiring announcements also surged 37 percent year-over-year through August. Tech companies announced plans to hire 119,825 workers, the largest number of any industry sector. Unemployment among IT professionals ticked up to 3.1 percent in August (from 2.8 percent in July), still well below the 4.1 percent national average. This suggests that while layoffs are real and concentrated, displaced tech workers are finding roles elsewhere—at smaller firms, in non-tech industries adopting AI, or in newly created positions in machine learning operations and AI safety.
For foreign tech workers on H-1B visas: These layoffs disproportionately affect visa holders because employers often cut higher-paid positions first to improve bottom lines. If you are a tech worker in the U.S., update your resume and start informal networking now. Given the new wage-weighted H-1B lottery (which favors higher salaries for selection), many laid-off workers may have difficulty sponsoring their own H-1B renewal. If you are considering tech work in the U.S., be prepared for fiercer competition and longer hiring cycles. Check company financials and headcount trends before accepting an offer.
Sources
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