-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 PdyeexqWuHEO9q03ZKm7EFMr19gDY7RF7+ofE0DHYKPmQJGhVYwFoNrRkcMOQoQ4
 MaLZN86buExnO6/a8fevxQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-10-047494.txt : 20100921
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-10-047494.hdr.sgml : 20100921
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20100921174114
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-10-047494
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20100917
FILED AS OF DATE:		20100921
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20100921

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BAILEY ROBERT L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001215807

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-19084
		FILM NUMBER:		101083419

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH &ROSATI
		STREET 2:		650 PAGE MILL MROAD
		CITY:			PALO ALTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94304

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PMC SIERRA INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000767920
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES [3674]
		IRS NUMBER:				942925073
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1226

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3975 FREEDOM CIRCLE
		STREET 2:		MISSION TOWER ONE
		CITY:			SANTA CLARA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95054
		BUSINESS PHONE:		408-369-1176

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ATTENTION: TREASURER
		STREET 2:		3975 FREEDOM CIRCLE
		CITY:			SANTA CLARA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95054

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	SIERRA SEMICONDUCTOR CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19950419
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd286741.xml
<DESCRIPTION>SPECIAL SHARE RETRACTION AND SHARES SOLD
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-09-17</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000767920</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PMC SIERRA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PMCS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001215807</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAILEY ROBERT L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3975 FREEDOM CIRCLE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA CLARA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95054</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>18145</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>53336</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4955</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>58291</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>23100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.0084</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>35191</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>1-A Special Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2268</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>18145</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>41010</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>1-B Special Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2269</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4955</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>41009</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">PMC Ltd. 1-A Special Shares were exchanged for shares of PMCS Common Stock on a 1:8 basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">PMC Ltd. 1-B Special Shares were exchanged for shares of PMCS Common Stock on a 1:2.18448 basis</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The sale reported on this Form 4 was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the Reporting Person on February 2, 2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The sale price reported in column 4 of Table 1 represents the weighted average sale price of the shares sold ranging from $8.00 to $8.06 per share. Upon request by the Commission staff, the Issuer, or a security holder of the Issuer, the Reporting Person will provide full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">In 1994, PMC Ltd. 1-A Special Shares and PMC Ltd. 1-B Special Shares are immediately exchangeable.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Not applicable.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">In 1994, PMC Ltd. 1-A Special Shares and PMC Ltd. 1-B Special Shares were issued in exchange for shares of PMC-Sierra, Ltd. common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Alinka Flaminia, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-09-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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