Microsoft Offers Voluntary Exits to 60,000 Employees, but Not in South Korea
The offer covers roughly 27 percent of all full-time staff. It applies in four countries — the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and India — and South Korea is not on the list.
Microsoft said on October 26 (local time) that it is offering some employees the option to leave the company voluntarily. The company confirmed to the press that roughly 60,000 employees will receive the offer. Those who accept will get financial support along with materials to help them plan their next career steps. Eligible employees are being notified of their individual offer terms by email. It is a limited-time program with a set application window.
The figure of roughly 60,000 is not the number of confirmed departures but the number of employees receiving an offer. Measured against the roughly 223,000 full-time employees on the books at the end of June 2026, that works out to about 27 percent. How many people actually leave depends on how many accept.
Who is getting the offer
The offer goes to employees at job level 70 and below within organizations participating in the program in Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. Microsoft said participation varies from organization to organization depending on priorities, customer work and staffing needs. South Korea is not among the countries covered by this announcement.
The Decoder reported that this is Microsoft’s second voluntary exit program this year. Microsoft said that more than 30 percent of eligible employees accepted the offer in the earlier program. Separately, the company said in July that it had already eliminated roughly 4,800 roles.
Microsoft described the current program as a way of giving participating organizations an option to adjust in line with their staffing needs. Employees will decide whether to accept after reviewing their individual offer terms.
Are AI teams included?
Some AI-related organizations are included. The Decoder reported that Xbox, Windows, Copilot and the finance organization are all covered, while the data center, sales, cybersecurity and quantum computing organizations are not. Reuters also reported that Copilot-related units are among those receiving offers. Microsoft’s official announcement does not include a list of AI teams that are excluded.
Microsoft’s expanding AI investment has come up alongside the news. The Decoder noted that Microsoft’s headcount of roughly 223,000 is broadly in line with its 2022 level, and reported that the company plans to spend about $170 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026. Microsoft did not cite AI investment costs as a reason for the exit program in its official announcement.
The points to watch from here are how many employees actually accept and how far the list of participating organizations extends. Of particular interest is how the work and staffing of Copilot-related units change.