Microsoft Offers Voluntary Exit to 60,000 Employees, Including in India

Microsoft has announced a voluntary exit programme for around 60,000 eligible employees across India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. The offer, announced on October 26, 2026, gives eligible employees the option to leave the company with financial support and career planning resources as the technology company continues to adjust its workforce and invest heavily in artificial intelligence (AI).

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The programme, called the Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO), was announced by Amy Coleman, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Microsoft.

In an official communication to employees, Coleman said the initiative would give eligible workers considering opportunities outside the company another option to make the transition with support.

The company has not announced how many employees are expected to accept the offer.

Who Is Eligible for Microsoft’s Voluntary Exit Offer?

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According to Microsoft’s official announcement, the programme is available to eligible employees at internal job level 70 and below in participating organisations across India, the US, the UK and Canada.

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However, the offer does not cover every employee or business unit. Participation depends on individual business priorities, customer commitments and workforce requirements.

According to media reports citing people familiar with the matter, participating divisions include AI Experiences, Copilot, Finance, Human Resources, Xbox and Windows + Devices. Marketing, Commercial Business and Security teams are among those excluded.

Eligible employees are being informed individually about the terms of their offers. According to a PTI report, eligible employees in India have until December 1 to decide whether to accept the offer.

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Microsoft has approximately 23,000 employees in India, according to media reports. However, the company has not disclosed how many of its India-based employees qualify for the programme.

The figure of 60,000 represents the approximate number of employees eligible globally, not the number of confirmed departures.

Previous Job Cuts and Microsoft’s AI Investments

The voluntary exit offer follows other workforce changes at Microsoft in 2026. The company previously introduced a voluntary retirement programme for eligible employees in the US. It also announced around 4,800 job cuts in July, particularly affecting its Xbox gaming business.

Microsoft is continuing to invest heavily in AI infrastructure, including data centres and computing capacity. The company has forecast capital expenditure of $175 billion for calendar year 2026, according to media reports.

The new programme provides participating business units with another way to adjust workforce levels while allowing employees to choose whether to leave.

Coleman said Microsoft would continue to help employees develop new skills and explore internal opportunities where appropriate. She also acknowledged that the new programme was an initiative the company would learn from as it evaluates different ways to respond to changing business needs.

For HR leaders, the development highlights the use of voluntary exit programmes alongside other workforce measures as companies review staffing requirements, costs and future skill needs.

The actual impact of Microsoft’s latest offer will depend on employee participation and the number of eligible workers who decide to leave.