Microsoft opens voluntary exit offer to 60,000 eligible staff, including India
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Microsoft has opened a time-limited voluntary exit programme for about 60,000 eligible employees across India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. The number covers people who may receive an offer, not confirmed departures or layoffs.
The Voluntary Exit Offer applies to participating teams and employees at level 70 and below. Microsoft said eligible workers would receive individual details by email. Participation varies by business priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs, which means the programme does not cover every employee in the four countries.
Microsoft’s official does not list every participating division. Reuters reported that eligible groups include AI Experiences, Copilot, finance, human resources, Xbox and Windows and Devices. Marketing, commercial business and security were excluded, according to a source cited by Reuters.
For employees in India, the available public statement confirms country-level eligibility but does not publish local package values, team-wise numbers or the expected number of departures. The financial terms can differ by level, location and service period.
Business Insider reported that offers reviewed in the US followed Microsoft’s standard severance structure. They included base-pay support, continued stock vesting and health insurance, with terms changing by seniority and tenure. Those figures should not be treated as confirmed terms for India.
Eligible workers are expected to decide by early December, with departures planned for the end of 2026, according to Business Insider. Microsoft’s public post describes the programme as voluntary and says it includes financial support and career-planning resources.
Microsoft said the programme gives participating organisations another way to adjust staffing as their needs change. Reuters placed the move alongside the company’s effort to control costs and fund heavy spending on AI infrastructure.
The company reported 223,000 full-time employees worldwide as of 30 June 2026. The offer follows a voluntary retirement programme earlier in the year and job cuts announced in July. The immediate question for Indian staff is whether they receive an individual offer and what local terms it carries.
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