(UNITED STATES) — Amazon announced on January 27, 2026 that it will close all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical store locations across the United States, shifting its grocery strategy toward Whole Foods Market growth and same-day grocery delivery.
The company said the move ends its decade-long experiment with branded cashier-less and automated grocery formats, even as it keeps pushing deeper into food retail through delivery and its Whole Foods chain.
Amazon said the closures cover 72 total stores, including 57 Amazon Fresh supermarkets and 15 Amazon Go convenience stores, with most locations set to cease operations by February 1, 2026.
California sites will remain open longer, with Amazon saying locations there will operate for an additional 45 days to comply with state-specific labor notification and regulatory requirements.
Amazon described the decision as a strategic pivot tied to changing consumer demand and the economics of its store formats, while emphasizing expansion at Whole Foods Market and a rapidly growing same-day grocery delivery service.
Alongside the shutdown plan, Amazon said it will support affected workers with a severance package that includes 90 days of full pay and benefits, career transition services, and the opportunity to apply for internal roles within Amazon’s fulfillment and logistics network.
The announcement lands as Amazon continues to juggle multiple grocery identities under one roof, including Amazon Fresh storefronts, Amazon Go convenience sites, and Whole Foods Market, while building out delivery options that blur the line between shopping in-store and ordering online.
Store employees who lose roles or move into new ones can face time-sensitive hurdles if they are students or noncitizens working under U.S. immigration rules, because job duties, work locations, and employer documentation can determine whether work authorization remains valid.
Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go locations employ hourly store staff and service workers, and the affected workforce also includes part-time workers and students on F-1 visas using OPT or CPT, as well as some H-1B and H-4 EAD holders in retail and service positions.
Amazon said it will offer severance and internal transfer options, but moving from a store role into fulfillment or operations can change schedules, job duties, and worksites, which can add compliance steps for some immigration categories.
Anecdotal reports from affected employees indicate that layoffs are already beginning at some locations as closure notices go out.
The store shutdowns also highlight a broader labor shift inside large retailers, as grocery and convenience chains chase tighter unit economics and push more volume into delivery, routing, and back-of-house fulfillment rather than traditional in-store staffing.
Amazon has tied its next phase to logistics capacity and technology-enabled retail, reflecting an industry trend in which automation and operational efficiency reduce the need for some in-store tasks while increasing demand for other functions that support delivery and order pickup.
As stores close, roles can migrate toward fulfillment center work, route planning, and tech support, even as some in-person retail jobs shrink with fewer storefronts operating under banners such as Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh.
Amazon’s timeline also compresses decisions for workers weighing transfers, because most stores will close by February 1, 2026, while California locations remain open an additional 45 days because of regulatory requirements.
The company’s headline figures leave little runway for employees trying to line up a new internal posting, finish onboarding for a different role, or coordinate scheduling changes, particularly in jobs that shift from store-facing work to fulfillment and operations.
For students on F-1 status, job continuity can carry strict limits. The guidance cited in the announcement’s broader immigration impact notes unemployment limits of 90 days for OPT and 150 days for STEM OPT, and says students must secure new employment with an E-Verify employer that matches their degree field to remain in status.
For some nonimmigrant workers, job loss can start a countdown. The same guidance cites a 60-day grace period for H-1B and L-1 visa holders to find a new employer or change status, a window that can shape decisions about whether to accept a transfer, look outside Amazon, or pause work.
Amazon’s announcement came as federal immigration policy changes in late 2025 and early 2026 add another layer of uncertainty for workers trying to shift roles or employers.
USCIS Spokesman Matthew Tragesser, describing an overhaul of the H-1B program that takes effect Feb. 27, 2026, said the agency will move from a random lottery to a weighted selection process based on salary tiers.
“The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by U.S. employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages than they would pay American workers. The new weighted selection will better serve Congress’ intent for the H-1B program and strengthen America’s competitiveness by incentivizing American employers to petition for higher-paid, higher-skilled foreign workers.”
The Department of State also announced a processing change on Jan. 14, 2026, saying, “Effective immediately, the Department of State will pause immigrant visa processing for roughly 75 countries due to heightened public charge reviews. This ensures that those entering the United States are self-sufficient and do not rely on public assistance.”
For workers at or connected to Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go who may need a quick job change, those policy shifts can matter because they affect both new sponsorship pathways and the timing of international processing, including travel for visa stamping in some cases.
Amazon has framed its grocery future around Whole Foods Market and delivery, saying it has “100+ new locations planned over the next few years,” while it winds down Amazon Fresh supermarkets and Amazon Go stores that anchored its physical-format experiments.
The closure plan also underscores how the grocery job market can tilt with corporate strategy: storefront roles can contract when chains exit formats, while logistics and operations roles can become more central as companies funnel growth through delivery and omnichannel fulfillment.
For immigrants and students, the transition can be more time-sensitive, because authorization often hinges on keeping job duties and locations aligned with the terms of status, and because disruptions can force faster decisions about transfers, new employment, or status changes.
Workers seeking general federal guidance on post-termination pathways can consult USCIS information on options for nonimmigrant workers following termination of employment, and employers often track immigration changes through the USCIS news releases page and broader federal updates at DHS policy announcements.
As Amazon shuts Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations and refocuses on Whole Foods Market and same-day grocery delivery, the immediate question for affected workers is how quickly transfers materialize before February 1, 2026, and how smoothly job changes fit within immigration and student-work rules.
Amazon Shutters Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh Stores; Whole Foods Shift
Amazon is shuttering its Amazon Go and Fresh brands to prioritize Whole Foods and delivery logistics. Most of the 72 stores will close by February 2026, though California sites have a 45-day extension. The shift impacts workers on specialized visas, such as H-1B and F-1, who must navigate strict grace periods and new federal selection rules while seeking internal transfers or new employment to maintain their legal status.
