NAB plans 2,500 job cuts as staff fear automation and offshoring

National Australia Bank plans to cut up to 2,500 jobs, with as many as 1,500 roles going before the end of the year and a further 1,000 by the end of its 2027 financial year. The announcement has heightened staff concerns about job security as the bank expands automation and moves more work offshore.

NAB says the changes respond to economic pressures, customer expectations, competition and rapid technological change, and that customer-facing banking roles will not be materially affected. A reported workforce plan indicates the technology team could shrink from just under 500 people to 400, with the Australian-based share falling while teams in India and Vietnam grow; the Finance Sector Union criticised the timing and scale of the cuts.