Last updated: 31 October 2026
Google hasn't announced one big layoff since 2023. Instead, it has been cutting quietly: voluntary buyouts in one team, a few hundred roles in another. Meanwhile, Alphabet's total headcount is growing, and Google is expanding in Bengaluru. Here's the full picture.
Google layoffs timeline
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | Voluntary exit programme in Platforms & Devices (Android, Chrome, Pixel) |
| Feb 2025 | People Ops buyouts; some Cloud roles moved to India and Mexico City (CNBC) |
| Apr 2025 | "Hundreds" cut in Platforms & Devices (The Verge) |
| Jun 2025 | Buyouts in Search, engineering and marketing (CNBC) |
| Oct 2025 | 100+ Cloud design roles cut; YouTube buyouts |
| Feb 2026 | Voluntary exits in the Global Business Organization (US sales roles); memo asked staff to be "all in" on AI |
| May–Jun 2026 | Google Cloud cuts reported, including Mandiant; numbers not disclosed (Business Insider) |
| Aug 2026 | WARN notice for 52 roles in Washington state |
What it means for India
- We found no confirmed Google India layoffs in 2026. Many "Google India layoffs" articles are recycled from February 2023, when about 450 roles were cut in India.
- Google is expanding in India: Bloomberg reported a Bengaluru lease of up to 2.4 million sq ft, with room for up to 20,000 more staff (February 2026). Google has about 11,000 employees in India.
- Some roles have moved to India in past restructurings, such as Cloud operations in 2025.
Severance
Google hasn't published a 2026 formula. Buyouts in 2025 were reported at 14 weeks' pay plus 1 week per year of service in some teams. The often-quoted "16 weeks plus 2 weeks per year" was the January 2023 package.
Is Google still hiring?
Yes. Alphabet added about 14,600 people in the year to September 2026, mainly in AI and cloud. Competition is high, so a referral helps a lot: see our Google India referrers list.
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Say hi to Day on WhatsAppHow Day works →If you are affected: what to do this week
- Read the separation letter carefully before signing. Check your last working day, severance, notice pay and leave encashment.
- Ask for your full and final settlement timeline in writing, plus your relieving letter and experience letter.
- Check your gratuity if you have close to 5 years of service. Our gratuity calculator shows what you are owed.
- Move or keep your PF; do not withdraw it in a hurry.
- Update your resume and LinkedIn the same week. Run your resume through a free ATS check.
- Tell your network. Ex-colleagues are the fastest route to referrals; see how to get a job referral.
We track every major round in our India layoffs tracker 2026. Numbers marked "reported" come from news outlets and have not been confirmed by the company.
FAQs
Is Google laying off employees in 2026?
Yes, but through voluntary buyouts and small team cuts, not one big layoff.
Is Google laying off in India?
We found no confirmed India layoffs in 2026. Google is expanding its Bengaluru offices.
How many employees does Google have?
Alphabet had 204,757 employees on 30 September 2026, up from 190,167 a year earlier.
What is a Google voluntary exit programme?
An offer to leave voluntarily with a severance package, used team by team instead of forced layoffs.
Is Google hiring in India?
Yes, especially in AI and cloud, and it is adding office space in Bengaluru.
