Taking a new job with Amazon can mean more than changing roles. For many employees, it also means moving to a new city, state, or even country. If relocation is part of your Amazon offer, understanding exactly what assistance is available can make a major difference in how you plan and budget for the move.
Amazon does offer relocation assistance for eligible employees, but there is no single Amazon relocation package that applies to every hire. Benefits can depend on your position, location, level, type of move, and the terms of your individual offer. Amazon’s current benefits information lists relocation assistance among its employee benefits, while individual job postings may specifically state whether relocation benefits are offered.
That makes your written relocation offer the most important source of information. Before making housing decisions, hiring movers, or committing to other expenses, review exactly what Amazon has offered and which costs are your responsibility.
Does Amazon Pay for Relocation?
Amazon provides relocation benefits to eligible candidates and employees, but relocation assistance is not included with every job.
For example, some Amazon job postings explicitly offer relocation benefits to eligible candidates, while others state that relocation assistance is not provided. Eligibility can therefore depend heavily on the position you accept.
If relocation is included with your offer, you may receive a lump sum or other relocation benefits designed to help with the costs of getting yourself, your family, and your belongings to your new location.
Amazon’s published Global Lump Sum Relocation Policy describes benefits that can include a one-time lump-sum payment, final travel to the new destination, certain immigration-related expenses when applicable, and tax assistance.
Your particular benefits may be different, so confirm the details with your Amazon recruiter and relocation contact before making plans.
Moving for Amazon? Don’t Miss the ARC Realtor Rebate
If your Amazon relocation involves buying or selling a home, your relocation package isn’t the only opportunity to save money.
The ARC Realtor Rebate Program can put money back in your pocket when you buy or sell an eligible home using an agent referred through ARC’s nationwide network. Register with ARC before selecting your agent to find out how much you may qualify to receive.
ARC connects participants with an approved real estate agent in the destination or departure market. After an eligible home purchase or sale closes, ARC provides a cash rebate based on the transaction and program terms. Rebates are subject to state restrictions. ARC’s published program information shows that qualifying rebates can reach thousands of dollars depending on the home’s purchase or sale price.
For someone relocating for an Amazon position, that money can be especially useful. A move can involve deposits, closing costs, new furniture, travel, storage, utility setup, and dozens of other expenses. Getting cash back on an eligible real estate transaction can help you make your overall relocation budget go further.
What Is the Amazon Lump Sum Relocation Package?
A lump sum gives you a predetermined amount of money to help pay for your relocation rather than having every individual moving expense paid directly.
Amazon’s published Global Lump Sum materials describe the cash allowance as money employees can decide how to spend on their move. Examples of potential uses include:
- Lease cancellation expenses
- Temporary housing
- Home-finding trip expenses
- Moving household goods
- Shipping vehicles
- Pet-related travel expenses
Amazon’s lump-sum guidance also states that receipts aren’t required for how the cash allowance itself is used, although employees are advised to retain documentation for tax purposes.
That flexibility can be valuable, but it also makes budgeting particularly important. If you’re responsible for arranging your own move, every dollar you save in one category gives you more room elsewhere in your relocation budget.
How Much Is the Amazon Relocation Package?
This is one of the most common questions about relocating for Amazon, but there isn’t one reliable dollar amount that applies to every employee.
You may encounter estimates online claiming that a typical Amazon relocation package is worth a particular amount. Those figures shouldn’t be treated as guarantees. The package you’re offered can depend on the role, relocation type, origin and destination, and other circumstances.
Amazon’s published lump-sum documentation uses an individualized cash amount rather than identifying one universal payment for all relocating employees.
Instead of planning around an online estimate, ask your recruiter for the actual relocation terms associated with your offer. You’ll want to know not only the amount of any cash allowance but also which benefits Amazon provides separately.
What Can an Amazon Relocation Package Include?
The exact benefits can vary, but Amazon’s published relocation documentation provides a useful picture of how a relocation package may be structured.
Lump Sum Payment
Eligible employees may receive a one-time cash payment to use toward relocation expenses. Amazon’s published policy states that the payment is tax assisted and that receipts aren’t required after those lump-sum funds have been used.
Final Travel
Amazon’s Global Lump Sum Relocation Policy also provides for final travel from the employee’s point of origin to the new destination.
Depending on the circumstances, provisions can include standard economy airfare or mileage reimbursement, certain baggage expenses, ground transportation, meals on the travel day, and limited lodging. The policy also addresses travel for an eligible spouse or domestic partner and eligible dependents.
Moving Household Goods
Moving your belongings can be one of the largest relocation expenses. Amazon’s lump-sum guidance specifically identifies shipment of personal belongings and household goods as one way an employee might choose to use a cash allowance.
If you’re paying for movers from your lump sum, comparing estimates becomes especially important. Choosing a competitive moving company can leave substantially more of your relocation allowance available for housing and other expenses.
Get Free Moving Quotes Before Spending Your Relocation Money
You don’t have to call moving companies one at a time to figure out how much your Amazon relocation might cost.
Agoyu is a free moving platform that uses AI to build an inventory of your belongings and quickly provide competitive moving quotes. You can scan your rooms with your phone, compare pricing from vetted movers, and find an option that fits your relocation budget without making a round of sales calls.
Agoyu’s AI can identify household items from a room scan and estimate the inventory, weight, and other details movers need to price the job. The platform says users can receive up to 25 moving quotes in about three minutes, depending on available movers for the move.
The service is free for consumers, and Agoyu provides pricing and mover information so you can compare your options. Its FAQ also says movers on the platform provide not-to-exceed estimates, with an additional survey required when a mover can’t bind the initial estimate.
That’s particularly useful with a lump-sum relocation package. Instead of guessing what percentage of your allowance will disappear into transportation costs, you can get pricing early and build the rest of your relocation budget around a more concrete moving estimate.
Does Amazon Pay for Temporary Housing?
Temporary housing may be an expense you can cover with your relocation benefits, depending on your package.
Amazon’s lump-sum materials specifically list temporary housing as an example of something employees might choose to pay for with their cash allowance. Home-finding trips and lease cancellation expenses are also listed as possible uses.
The distinction is important. An expense being an appropriate use of your lump sum doesn’t necessarily mean Amazon will reimburse it separately.
Before booking a hotel, furnished apartment, or short-term rental, determine whether temporary housing is a separately provided benefit under your offer or something you are expected to fund from your cash allowance.
Does Amazon Pay to Ship Your Car?
Vehicle shipping may also be something you choose to pay for with a lump-sum allowance. Amazon’s relocation guidance specifically includes shipment of vehicles among examples of expenses for which employees may use their relocation cash.
Your package may have different provisions, however, so check your relocation documents before booking vehicle transportation.
How Does Amazon Handle Travel to Your New Location?
Final travel can be separate from the lump-sum cash allowance.
Under Amazon’s published Global Lump Sum Relocation Policy, final travel may include standard economy airfare to the new city or mileage and eligible expenses when driving. The policy also includes provisions for an eligible spouse or domestic partner and dependents.
This is a good example of why you should understand the entire package rather than looking only at the lump-sum amount.
If Amazon is already paying for certain final-travel expenses separately, you may not need to reserve part of your cash allowance for those same costs.
Are Amazon Relocation Benefits Taxable?
Taxes are another detail that should be considered before deciding how much relocation money you actually have available to spend.
Amazon’s published Global Lump Sum policy states that its lump-sum cash payment is tax assisted. The policy describes tax assistance as an Amazon payroll benefit intended to help offset some of the tax burden associated with taxable relocation benefits.
Your individual tax situation can vary significantly. Review the tax provisions included with your relocation documentation and consult a qualified tax professional when necessary rather than assuming the entire stated relocation benefit will have the same tax treatment.
How Do You Qualify for an Amazon Relocation Package?
There isn’t a universal waiting period that makes every Amazon employee eligible for relocation.
Instead, relocation benefits can be tied to the position and offer. Current Amazon job listings demonstrate this clearly: some positions offer relocation benefits to eligible candidates at the time of offer, while other positions explicitly state that relocation assistance isn’t provided.
If you’re considering a position that would require a move, ask about relocation during the recruiting process. Questions worth getting answered include:
- Is this position eligible for relocation assistance?
- What relocation program applies to this role?
- How much is the lump-sum allowance, if applicable?
- Which benefits are paid separately from the lump sum?
- Who is considered an eligible dependent?
- When will relocation funds become available?
- What expenses require receipts?
- What tax assistance is included?
- Are there repayment requirements if you leave Amazon?
- Are there deadlines for using specific relocation benefits?
Get the answers in writing whenever possible so you know exactly what is included before committing to major expenses.
Need help finding fair and accurate moving quotes from pre-vetted movers? Try the free Agoyu app!
How to Make the Most of Your Amazon Relocation Package
A relocation package can make a major move easier, but how you plan your spending matters, particularly when you’re working with a lump sum.
Start by separating benefits Amazon is providing directly from expenses you’ll need to cover yourself. If final travel is covered separately, for example, you don’t want to unnecessarily reserve part of your lump sum for airfare that is already included.
Next, estimate the largest expenses before spending the smaller ones. Housing and household-goods transportation can consume a significant portion of a moving budget.
If you’re buying or selling a home, investigate the ARC Realtor Rebate before choosing your real estate agent. If you’re hiring movers, use Agoyu to compare moving prices before committing to a company.
Also leave room in your budget for the expenses that are easy to overlook: deposits, storage, pet transportation, utility setup, temporary accommodations, travel meals, replacement household items, and costs associated with getting established in your new community.
Most importantly, don’t assume that another Amazon employee’s package is identical to yours. Use your actual offer and relocation documents to build your budget.
What Should You Do After Receiving an Amazon Relocation Offer?
Once Amazon provides your relocation package, read the complete policy before making financial commitments.
Confirm your lump-sum amount, travel benefits, tax treatment, eligible family members, deadlines, and any other conditions attached to the move. If something isn’t clear, ask your Amazon recruiter or relocation contact before spending money.
Then begin pricing the move itself.
For a lump-sum relocation, knowing the likely cost of your household-goods shipment early can help you decide how much money remains for temporary housing, real estate expenses, vehicle transportation, and everything else associated with getting settled.
Planning Your Amazon Relocation
An Amazon relocation package can provide meaningful financial and logistical support when a new position requires you to move. The key is understanding the package you’ve actually been offered rather than relying on a single dollar figure or another employee’s experience.
Amazon currently recognizes relocation assistance as an employee benefit, but its own job postings show that eligibility varies by position. Its published relocation materials also demonstrate that lump-sum programs can combine flexible cash allowances with other benefits such as final travel and tax assistance.
Once you know what’s covered, look for ways to make those benefits go further. Compare moving costs before booking a mover, plan your housing expenses early, and take advantage of programs that can reduce the overall financial impact of relocating.
Buying or selling a home as part of your move? Register for the ARC Realtor Rebate Program before selecting your real estate agent to see how much cash back you may qualify to receive.