Canva layoffs 2026 will eliminate 1,271 positions, roughly 22 percent of the company’s workforce, co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins told staff. The announcement, made on November 3, 2026, frames the cuts as part of a broader effort to reorganize the design platform for its next decade.
Perkins said employees would face three possible outcomes: adjusted roles, requests to move to centralized hubs, or departure from the company. She acknowledged the personal cost of the decision, noting that the company would be parting with colleagues who had contributed to Canva’s growth.
Why Canva says incremental fixes fell short
According to Perkins, Canva considered a range of other options before settling on the job cuts. She concluded that minor adjustments would not be sufficient. Instead, she described the plan as a “refound” — a return to the company’s early model of small, autonomous teams empowered to make decisions, take ownership, and prioritize the needs of Canva’s user community.
The restructuring is intended to position Canva for the coming decade rather than address a single quarter’s performance. No specific financial targets or timeline beyond the January policy change was disclosed.
Product teams consolidated, Sydney elevated
The organizational changes touch several core functions. Canva is merging its Product, Growth, and Platform groups into a single product organization. As part of that consolidation, the company plans to simplify management layers and combine responsibilities that currently overlap.
Sydney will become the primary base for more of Canva’s product teams. The company also intends to concentrate certain other specialty roles there, citing the value of shared context and close collaboration. The shift signals a tighter geographic focus for teams that were previously more distributed.
Hybrid work expectations tighten in January
Beginning in January, Canva expects most hybrid employees to be in an office two to three days per week. The exact schedule will depend on what makes sense for each area, according to the company. The policy applies to hybrid staff and represents a more structured approach to in-person work than Canva has previously required.
Severance includes six months of pay
Employees whose roles are eliminated will receive a package that includes at least six months of salary, twelve months of health coverage, and career support resources. The benefits package was outlined alongside the restructuring announcement.
The Canva reductions follow a separate announcement from Squarespace one day earlier. Squarespace disclosed layoffs affecting 19 percent of its staff, according to the same report.
What the restructuring means for Canva's workforce
For remaining employees, the changes mean new reporting lines, possible relocation, and a more office-centered routine. For those leaving, the severance terms provide a bridge of at least half a year’s pay and a full year of health coverage.
Perkins characterized the decision as difficult but necessary, arguing that a smaller, more focused structure would let Canva move faster and stay close to the community it serves. The company has not said whether further changes are planned beyond the January office policy.
