Last updated: 27 October 2026
Oracle has cut jobs twice in 2026, and India has been hit hard both times. The company is spending heavily on AI data centres, and it has been reducing headcount elsewhere to pay for it. Here is what happened, in order, with what has and has not been confirmed.
Oracle layoffs timeline
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 30 Jan 2026 | A TD Cowen analyst note estimated 20,000 to 30,000 roles could be cut. This was an analyst estimate, not an Oracle plan. |
| 31 Mar 2026 | Layoffs affecting "thousands" began (CNBC). Notices arrived by email early in the morning and system access was cut the same day. The US, India, Canada and Mexico were affected. |
| 31 May 2026 | Fiscal year 2026 closed with about 141,000 employees, down from about 162,000. Restructuring costs were about $1.8 billion. |
| Mid-Sep 2026 | A second round began (Business Insider, via Business Standard). Some teams saw double-digit percentage cuts. An SEC filing raised expected restructuring costs by about $700 million, to roughly $2.8 billion. |
What it means for India
- First round (March onwards): about 12,000 India roles were cut, according to PTI, which cited affected employees. Teams named include Oracle Health, Sales, Cloud, Customer Success and NetSuite.
- Second round (September): The Economic Times reported about 3,000 cuts, roughly 10% of an estimated 30,000 India staff. Deccan Herald reported more than 1,000. Product engineering was reported to be hit harder than support and consulting.
Oracle has not published India-specific numbers, so treat these as reported figures.
Is Oracle still hiring?
Oracle continues to post openings on its careers site, mostly in cloud infrastructure (OCI), databases and AI. There has been no official India hiring announcement in 2026, so expect fewer openings and more competition for each one.
Severance: what has been reported
- US: 4 weeks of base pay plus 1 week per year of service, reportedly capped at 26 weeks.
- India (reported): 15 days' salary per year of service, leave encashment, gratuity and a two-month salary top-up. Terms were sent by DocuSign.
Why Oracle is cutting jobs
Oracle is building data centres at a very fast pace to sell AI computing capacity. Those projects cost billions up front. Restructuring costs rising from $374 million in FY25 to about $1.8 billion in FY26, then a further $700 million, show how much of the saving is coming from headcount.
Day, Weekday's free AI job agent, finds open roles in India that match your experience and applies when you say yes. All on WhatsApp.
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 and experience letters.
- 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. You can transfer it to your next employer.
- Update your resume and LinkedIn the same week. Run your resume through a free ATS check.
- Tell your network. Referrals still move faster than cold applications.
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
How many people did Oracle lay off in 2026?
Oracle's headcount fell by about 21,000 in the year to May 2026, and a second round began in September. The company has not given a single total.
How many Oracle employees in India were laid off?
Reported figures are about 12,000 in the first round and 1,000 to 3,000 in the September round. Oracle has not confirmed them.
What severance is Oracle giving in India?
Reported terms are 15 days' salary per year of service, leave encashment, gratuity and a two-month salary top-up.
Is Oracle still hiring in India?
Oracle still posts roles in cloud, database and AI, but has made no hiring announcement for India in 2026.
Why is Oracle laying off employees?
To fund its large AI data centre buildout, according to reporting by CNBC and Reuters.
