Oracle Announces Global Layoffs, India and Canada Among Hardest Hit

American technology company Oracle has laid off nearly 10% of its workforce in India, leaving dozens of skilled employees jobless overnight.

The company cited “restructuring” as the official reason, though industry experts connect the move to US President Donald Trump’s renewed emphasis on reducing offshoring and reliance on H-1B visas. Several employees in India and other countries are now facing sudden job losses.

Global Impact of Layoffs

According to Data Centre Dynamics, Oracle’s Indian operations are among the most severely affected, while US-based Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) teams are also being informed of cuts.

Reports indicate that job reductions are occurring in Canada, with employees in other regions being called for undisclosed meetings, raising speculation of further workforce reductions across Oracle’s global offices.

Insiders revealed that Oracle CEO Larry Wilson met with President Donald Trump on August 7 at the Oval Office. The meeting reportedly included discussions on domestic hiring, technology cooperation, and data security.

Soon after, Oracle announced a significant agreement with OpenAI to process a massive amount of its data on Oracle systems.

The timing has raised questions in the tech industry, particularly since Oracle is simultaneously expanding its Virginia office workforce while reducing staff overseas.

In Mexico, Oracle employees have also been given notice, with insiders suggesting cuts may mirror those in India.

Impact on Oracle’s Indian Workforce

India has been a key hub for Oracle, employing about 28,824 people in 2024, out of the company’s total global headcount of roughly 162,000 in 2025.

Oracle India has played a crucial role in software development, cloud services, and technical support. With these layoffs, a significant portion of the local talent pool has been affected.

Reports also mention that in Seattle, a longtime hub for OCI, Oracle has cut over 150 jobs. Affected employees were told their roles were eliminated this week.

While the company is still hiring for specific positions, the restructuring points to a selective reorganisation. In its June regulatory filing, Oracle stated that periodic reshaping of its workforce may cause restructuring costs and reduced productivity during transitions.

Layoffs Across the Tech Industry

Oracle’s decision follows a broader trend among major tech companies cutting jobs to offset the rising costs of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Microsoft has laid off about 15,000 employees this year, while Amazon and Meta have also reduced staffing levels as they shift resources to AI projects.

The high cost of developing AI, particularly the need for massive data centre capacity and computing power, is forcing even large companies to reallocate resources.

OpenAI Deal and Cloud Growth

Despite the layoffs, Oracle’s stock has remained strong due to growth in its cloud business. The company recently signed a historic agreement with OpenAI to provide about 4.5 gigawatts of US data centre capacity.

Under this deal, OpenAI will rent substantial computing resources from Oracle’s data centres as part of the “Stargate” project, a collaboration with Oracle and SoftBank that targets $500 billion in AI infrastructure investments.

While the agreement strengthens Oracle’s position in the AI race, it also adds financial pressure. Oracle spent more than it earned in the fiscal year ending in May, highlighting the strain of its rapid expansion.

Oracle has been operating in India for over 20 years, with offices in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Noida, and Kolkata, along with expansion plans in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

However, the company’s cloud infrastructure division has seen cuts in both the US and India, Bloomberg reported.

Stock Market Reaction

Oracle shares fell over 4% to 243.57, marking the first break below its 21-day moving average since April. Investors may have also reacted to earnings from CoreWeave, an AI-focused cloud provider backed by Nvidia, which reported a larger-than-expected quarterly loss despite strong demand.

Other tech giants, including Microsoft and Amazon, also saw fluctuations in stock performance following the Oracle announcement.

Scale of Layoffs

Oracle has filed layoff notices in Washington and California, where it is cutting more than 300 jobs. Some reports suggest the worldwide total could reach thousands.

Many affected employees, including software developers, managers, and directors, worked in OCI media services and sovereign cloud efforts. The layoffs will take effect between October 13 and October 15.

Employees took to LinkedIn to share experiences, with one senior manager writing, “From the highs of taking on a new role in a new space, to being notified that I’ve been impacted by a RIF (reduction in force).”

Oracle continues to invest heavily in cloud services, reporting $15.9 billion in revenue in the fourth fiscal quarter, an 11% year-over-year increase. However, the restructuring highlights the company’s balancing act between global expansion, AI investment, and workforce management.