eBay’s workforce strategy has come under renewed scrutiny after data revealed that the company is pursuing hundreds of H-1B visa hires while simultaneously reducing its US workforce.
According to workforce tracking platform Cutoffs.io, eBay plans to lay off 639 employees in the US during 2026. At the same time, the company has filed applications for 429 H-1B positions during the first half of fiscal 2026. The figures have reignited debate around the use of foreign skilled-worker visas at a time when many technology firms continue to trim headcount.
Data cited by The American Bazaar shows that eBay submitted 360 H-1B applications in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and another 69 in the first quarter, taking the total to 429 filings. Meanwhile, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filings indicate that hundreds of US employees are expected to be affected by layoffs this year.
The development highlights a broader trend across the technology sector, where companies are reducing staff in some areas while continuing to recruit for specialised roles. Demand remains high for expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), software engineering, data science and other emerging technologies.
There are no record that directly link the layoffs to the H-1B positions. There is no indication that the affected employees and visa applicants belong to the same teams, functions or locations. However, the overlap has sparked fresh discussions about workforce planning and hiring priorities.
The H-1B programme allows US companies to employ foreign professionals in specialised occupations. While critics argue that employers should focus on retaining domestic workers during periods of layoffs, supporters maintain that the programme helps fill critical skill gaps that are difficult to address through local hiring alone.
The disclosures come even as eBay continues to report positive business performance. The company recently stated that its first-quarter fiscal 2026 results exceeded expectations, supported by growth in its marketplace business and increased adoption of AI-driven tools.
This is not the first major restructuring exercise undertaken by eBay. In 2024, the company eliminated around 1,000 positions, representing nearly nine per cent of its workforce at the time, as part of efforts to streamline operations and align costs with business priorities.
As technology companies continue to recalibrate their talent strategies, eBay’s latest workforce data is likely to keep the conversation around layoffs, specialised hiring and visa sponsorship in sharp focus.
