Which tech jobs will disappear in 2026 and which will remain necessary?

The tech sector is restructuring significantly. While the number of layoffs in the broader economy falls in 2026, it is actually rising in tech. Up to and including April 2026, the sector recorded 85,411 layoffs, a third more than a year earlier. Big names like Oracle, Microsoft, and Meta cut jobs, and AI is increasingly cited as the reason.

At the same time, demand for experienced IT professionals in the Netherlands remains high. The number of IT specialists rose above 600,000 for the first time, yet 92% of employers expect to grow their IT team or keep it stable.

What does that mean for professionals in development, design, and consultancy? Which roles are under pressure and which remain relevant?

Why are so many tech jobs disappearing in 2026?

Tech jobs are disappearing rapidly. Tech layoffs reached their highest monthly level in years this spring, and AI is increasingly cited as the reason. Oracle cut 21,000 jobs over the past year, about 13% of its workforce, explicitly citing the use of AI. Microsoft and Meta also carried out major restructurings. What is the reason so many tech jobs are disappearing?

Many organizations are downsizing their workforce for three reasons:

Automation and AI

Tools like GitHub Copilot are increasingly taking over programming work. At some companies, a quarter of the code is now automatically generated. AI is also taking over routine work in support, data, and testing. In 2026, AI is the most frequently cited reason for tech layoffs. For many companies, the restructuring is directly linked to investments in AI.

Cost Reduction

After years of growth, investment, and scaling up, companies are cutting back on excess capacity. Projects are being stripped back to their core. Anything that does not directly contribute to product value or profitability is being put up for debate.

Reprioritization

The strategic focus is shifting. AI, infrastructure, and data security are taking priority, as are products that are scalable and make an immediate impact. Teams built around these areas will remain. Others are being phased out or reshuffled.

These developments affect the entire sector. Roles are not just disappearing, they are changing. The question is not whether you are still needed, but what for.

Which roles are affected the most?

Operational and supportive roles are affected the most: junior and mid-level developers, support functions, testers, data analysts, and junior designers. Work in which the tasks are largely execution-based, without a direct influence on product quality or strategic choices, is the first to go. That is precisely the work that AI is taking over now.

Yet, the picture is not black and white. While layoffs last year mainly focused on 'lower' roles, i.e., junior and mid-level, in 2026 they are also affecting senior positions and specialized technical roles. We have reached a point where restructuring extends beyond the operational layer.

Specifically in the Netherlands, the emphasis is different. Here, employers are mainly looking for experienced people. In 74% of IT vacancies, a mid-level professional is requested, juniors account for a quarter, and senior roles cover only 3%. This low percentage does not mean that demand is small. Organizations rarely leave senior positions unfilled, which means few remain open. The top five roles most affected in the tech sector over the past year:

Which roles remain important?

Roles that maintain oversight, make complex choices, and deploy AI responsibly remain necessary. The demand is shifting from volume to targeted expertise.

These are the roles that remain relevant:

These roles do not only remain necessary, they are becoming more important. The demand is shifting from volume to targeted expertise. Although the number of vacancies is falling, the role of IT remains as important as ever. Organizations are investing more selectively and looking more critically at expertise, with a greater emphasis on continuity and stability. In particular, the demand for people who can integrate AI responsibly is growing. The work is not disappearing, it is shifting.

What does this mean for organizations?

The current layoffs at large organizations also bring opportunities. Many experienced IT professionals are becoming available again. That talent is shifting towards small and medium-sized organizations: while big tech companies scaled back their engineering teams, the demand for engineers at smaller companies actually grew.

Not all IT professions are declining. AI engineering, data engineering, cybersecurity, cloud architects, and DevOps engineering are actually growing. At the same time, the structural shortage of experienced IT professionals persists. In the Netherlands, there were still over 22,600 open vacancies in ICT at the end of 2024, despite the global waves of layoffs. However, the number of open vacancies is falling every quarter. The number of new vacancies in the IT sector in the second quarter of 2025 was 23.5% lower than the year before. 

How do we deal with this change at Koodin?

We consciously work with senior professionals who understand technology and context. The roles we recruit for remain in demand: developers, DevOps engineers, UX designers, and consultants. At Koodin, no one was laid off in 2025. We keep the team small, experienced, and agile. We do believe we need to move with the times, but on the other hand, we do not follow every trend blindly. Through our expertise, we look at what is needed and what does and does not work for each client. 

What can you do?

For organizations, it is important to focus on profiles that can integrate AI into workflows, restructure systems, or handle data and security issues. Make sure you keep pace with your organization and dive into what is possible.

Are you a senior looking for a team where you get paid fairly, work is done transparently, and you are surrounded by other seniors?

Then view our vacancies.