Qualcomm Confirms Global Job Cuts in 'Performance-Focused' Layoffs

Qualcomm has told staff it will cut jobs globally, according to an internal memo seen by The Globe and Mail — layoffs the chipmaker describes as "performance-focused."

The memo confirms what had been rumor until now: the reductions will span Qualcomm's operations worldwide, not a single site or business unit. The company has not publicly disclosed how many roles are affected, and no severance terms have been detailed in the reporting so far.

What do we actually know?

Three things are established by the memo:

• The layoffs are global in scope, touching Qualcomm's international footprint rather than one region.
• The company is framing them as tied to performance, not a broad restructuring.
• The plan is documented in an internal communication, which the Globe and Mail reviewed.

That framing matters. A "performance-focused" reduction is a narrower, more legally careful label than a mass restructuring. For workers, it usually signals individual assessments rather than wholesale team eliminations.

Why the language matters for employees

When an employer casts layoffs as performance-based, the practical consequences differ from a general downsizing. Severance offers, notice periods and eligibility can hinge on how the cut is classified. Employees at Qualcomm — and anyone reading the tea leaves at other semiconductor firms — should watch for follow-up details: headcount numbers, geography-specific filings and any works-council or regulatory notices, which often surface weeks after an internal memo.

The chip sector has been under pressure since the post-pandemic demand slump, and Qualcomm is one of the industry's largest employers, so a global cut here reads as a sector signal, not a one-company quirk.

What should affected workers do now?

If you're at Qualcomm, the immediate moves are practical: pull your employment agreement, check your jurisdiction's notice requirements, and document your recent performance reviews — especially if you dispute the "performance" framing. If you're job-hunting in semiconductors, expect a fresh wave of qualified candidates as this plays out, which tightens competition for the roles that remain open.

For the wider labor market, one more large tech employer trimming globally keeps downward pressure on chip-industry hiring — a reversal from the aggressive expansion cycles of 2021 and 2022.

More detail — headcount, severance and regional breakdowns — is expected as Qualcomm files required notices in the jurisdictions where the cuts land.