IBM Australia is in the midst of axing up to 1500 Australian staff in a reshuffle that will send many jobs offshore to Asia and New Zealand, according to sources.

Affected staff said between 1200 and 1500 local jobs are being made redundant this year in several waves. These figures rival the minimum 1200 jobs that Ford announced it would cut when it exits Australia in 2016.

Global restructure: A sign marks the entrance to IBM headquarters in Armonk, New York. Credit:AFP

IBM refused to confirm the figure or deny it is sending Australian jobs offshore, saying that for competitive reasons it does not discuss the details of staffing plans. Fairfax Media understands the jobs that are sent offshore would continue to service Australian clients.

Local executives were told of the redundancies in a March teleconference, one source said, ahead of a global restructuring plan announced in April. Executives were told by the company's New York office they needed to cut about 10 per cent of the local workforce this year following disappointing global first-quarter results. The company is estimated to employ between 12,000 and 14,000 staff in Australia.