Full Breakdown
Amazon Expands Holiday Hiring to Over 300,000 Workers Nationwide
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Hiring Push
On October 20, Amazon announced it will add more than 300,000 seasonal, part-time and full-time employees across its U.S. operations for the 2026 holiday season. The target represents a 20 % increase from the 250,000 positions filled each year from 2023-2025, marking the first expansion in three years. Amazon said new job listings will be posted weekly from October through December, and many seasonal hires may transition to permanent roles.
Regional Hiring Highlights
- Memphis, Tenn. – 4,000 hires.
- Greater Houston, Texas – over 6,000 hires.
- Tennessee statewide – 14,000 hires, a 55 % rise from 2025.
- Nashville, Tenn. – 7,500 hires.
- St. Louis, Mo. – 2,900 hires.
- Washington state – 7,000 hires.
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area – 4,500 hires.
- Rochester, N.Y. – more than 1,500 hires.
- Wilmington, N.C. – more than 1,500 hires.
These locations illustrate the nationwide scope of the hiring effort, which also includes smaller markets such as Rhode Island (?1,000 hires) and Canada (9,000 seasonal roles, not part of the U.S. count).
Compensation and Benefits
- Seasonal hourly wage: average $20 per hour.
- Full-time starting wage: minimum $20 per hour; average hourly pay near $24.
- Total compensation for full-time staff: exceeds $32 per hour when benefits are included.
- Healthcare expansion: Beginning January 1, 2027, seasonal employees working 30 + hours per week will receive the same health-care coverage as regular full-time staff. Plans start at $5 per week with $5 copays. Employees hired before Jan 1 will gain coverage on that date; those hired after will have coverage from day one.
Official Statements & Responses
Vice President J. Ofori Agboka said, “Our employees are at the heart of everything we do.”
Data & Statistics
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total U.S. seasonal hires planned | >300,000 | Amazon blog (Oct 20) |
| Increase vs. prior three years | +20 % | Amazon announcement |
| Average seasonal pay | $20/hr | Amazon statements |
| Average full-time pay (base) | $20-$24/hr | Amazon statements |
| Average total compensation (full-time) | >$32/hr | Amazon statements |
| Health-care plan cost | $5/week + $5 copay | Amazon benefit rollout |
| Eligibility threshold for health care | >=30 hrs/week | Amazon benefit rollout |
| Regional hires (selected) | 4,000-7,500 per market | Local news reports |
Verbatim Quotes
- “Almost every hiring announcement we’ve seen in the last three years is smaller and more surgical than the pre-pandemic playbook,” — Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer, Challenger, Gray & Christmas
- “We're proud to welcome thousands of new teammates into our network this holiday season,” — Chuck Cummings, Director of Customer Fulfillment, Amazon Canada
What's Next
Amazon will continue posting new openings weekly through December 2026. Seasonal employees who meet the 30-hour weekly threshold will become eligible for health-care coverage on January 1, 2027, with enrollment effective immediately for hires after that date. Applicants are directed to Amazon’s official jobs portal or can text “NEWJOB” to 31432 for local alerts.