Employment, visa, and labor data from 2021 through early 2026 show Amazon cutting tens of thousands of jobs while receiving approvals for foreign labor far beyond its net workforce expansion.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Amazon has emerged as the largest source of technology-sector layoffs since the pandemic era while simultaneously importing foreign labor at volumes that exceed its actual job creation, according to a detailed analysis published by WND. The report examines Amazon’s workforce reductions, hiring patterns, and use of U.S. immigration programs from 2021 through early 2026, raising questions about how federal visa systems are being applied during periods of large-scale job cuts.
Data compiled from global layoff trackers show Amazon leading all technology companies in workforce reductions. According to Statista, Amazon recorded the single largest layoff event in the sector, cutting 30,000 employees on Oct. 27, 2025. Earlier reductions included 10,000 jobs eliminated in November 2022 and an additional 9,000 in March 2023, placing Amazon ahead of Google, Meta, Microsoft, Intel, and Tesla in total reported layoffs.
Workforce reductions continued into 2026. On Jan. 28, 2026, Amazon confirmed another round of approximately 16,000 job cuts after an internal email regarding global redundancies was reportedly sent in error. When combined with prior layoffs, Amazon’s confirmed job reductions approach 65,000 positions, nearly matching the company’s entire net workforce growth during the 2021–2024 period.
According to Amazon workforce data, the company’s total headcount increased by about 71,661 employees between 2021 and 2024. The analysis cited by WND estimates that roughly 66,916 of those net new positions fell into professional or specialty occupations that qualify for the H-1B visa program, meaning nearly all net growth occurred in roles eligible for foreign labor sponsorship.
During the same period, Amazon requested approximately 115,607 H-1B visas from the Department of Labor and received approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for 98,559 H-1B visas. The volume of approved visas exceeded Amazon’s total net workforce growth by more than 43,000 positions and surpassed estimated professional job growth by nearly 49,000 roles.
The report also examined Amazon’s industry classification filings. Many H-1B petitions were submitted under NAICS codes 44–45, which correspond to the retail trade sector. Amazon received approval for 70,274 H-1B visas under those classifications, despite federal labor data showing that the retail sector lost approximately 21,900 STEM jobs and more than 212,000 non-STEM jobs nationwide between 2019 and 2024.
Geographic concentration of visa approvals further highlighted disparities between visa volume and job growth. In Virginia, a major hub for Amazon’s corporate offices, cloud infrastructure, and data centers, the company was approved for 62,897 visas between 2020 and 2025. During the same period, the state added only about 24,750 STEM-related jobs statewide, according to the WND analysis.
Beyond temporary work visas, Amazon’s green card sponsorship activity also drew scrutiny. Under the Department of Labor’s PERM program, employers must demonstrate efforts to recruit qualified U.S. workers before sponsoring foreign nationals for permanent residency. Previously reported data cited in the analysis show Amazon filed 21,012 PERM labor certification applications between 2020 and 2024, certifying in each case that no qualified U.S. workers applied for the positions.
The report further noted that Amazon increased hiring through student visa programs during periods of layoffs. In 2024, Amazon hired approximately 13,372 workers through OPT, STEM OPT, and CPT programs. These programs exempt employers from prevailing wage requirements and certain payroll taxes, while not requiring formal labor market testing.
Federal agencies responsible for immigration and labor enforcement, including those within the Department of Justice, typically monitor employers that continue filing visa petitions during mass layoffs, particularly when filings occur in industries or regions experiencing limited or negative job growth.
Taken together, the employment, visa, and industry data from 2021 through early 2026 show Amazon reducing its workforce at scale while securing foreign labor authorizations in numbers that exceed its net job creation, industry growth trends, and state-level employment gains. The figures illustrate how visa usage, layoffs, and workforce restructuring have intersected at one of the nation’s largest employers during a period of significant labor market change.
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