Amazon said on Tuesday it plans to hire more than 300,000 workers for the US holiday season, filling seasonal, part-time and full-time roles across its US core operations network.

According to The Edge Malaysia, reporting the announcement, the figure marks the first increase in holiday recruitment in three years, after Amazon employed 250,000 seasonal workers during each of the past three holiday seasons.

About Amazon, the company's newsroom, says new job opportunities will be posted weekly from October through December, with applicants directed to amazon.com › localjobs or to text NEWJOB to 31432 for alerts.

Roles span the fulfillment centers and delivery stations that prepare for Amazon's biggest shopping events of the year.

The move is a reversal for a company that had held seasonal headcount flat at 250,000 for three consecutive years, and it comes as the retail sector braces for its busiest stretch.

Reuters, via TradingView, framed the announcement as the first hiring jump for the period in three years as the online retailer prepares for a surge in orders.

The National Retail Federation forecast last week that US holiday sales growth will accelerate 4.2% from a year earlier to more than US$1 trillion this year, a demand picture that supports Amazon's expanded recruitment.

Notably, the increase comes even after Amazon announced a small number of layoffs in its retail division earlier this month, per The Edge Malaysia.

Amazon states that full-time core operations employees now start at a minimum of $20 an hour, with average hourly pay across that workforce reaching nearly $24, and average total compensation exceeding $32 an hour once benefits are counted. Seasonal employees earn an average of $20 an hour.

Starting January 1, 2027, seasonal employees working at least 30 hours per week will gain access to healthcare coverage on their first day, with plans starting at $5 a week and $5 copays.

The company also cites an uncapped 10% grocery discount online and 20% in Whole Foods Market stores, plus a Day 1 Financial banking benefit with First Tech Federal Credit Union rolling out in late 2026.

The healthcare change is corroborated across the pack: About Amazon announced it, while The Edge Malaysia reports that seasonal employees working at least 30 hours a week will receive benefits offered to regular full-time employees.

The Edge Malaysia also notes that retailer Walmart expanded healthcare benefits for its workforce just last week, as surging healthcare expenses pressure Americans already facing rising costs of living — a competitive backdrop that helps explain Amazon's timing.

About Amazon adds that existing benefits for eligible employees include a free Prime membership, prepaid tuition of up to $5,250 a year through Career Choice, a 401(k) with company match, paid parental leave, and 24/7 mental health support through Resources for Living.

Amazon positions the seasonal push as more than a hiring spike: the company says seasonal employees have a path to transition into full-time roles, and that many past seasonal hires have become trainers, managers and leaders across its operations network.

Programs like Career Choice, which Amazon says it is supporting with a $1 billion commitment under its Future Ready 2030 fund, can help eligible employees earn degrees or certificates, including aerospace certifications with Amazon Leo.

Eligible seasonal workers hired before January 1, 2027 will gain healthcare access on that date.