Canva Announces Changes Affecting 22 Percent of Staff
Canva is restructuring its operations in a move that will affect 1,271 employees, or 22 percent of its workforce. Some employees will take on different roles or be asked to relocate, while others will leave the company. Canva has not specified how many of the affected employees will be laid off.
Co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins announced the changes on November 3, 2026, in a note to staff. She said the company had considered a range of alternatives before deciding that smaller adjustments would not be sufficient. Perkins described the plan as an effort to return to smaller teams with greater responsibility for decisions and day-to-day work.
Under the restructuring, Canva will combine its Product, Growth, and Platform teams into a single product organization. It also plans to reduce management layers and consolidate responsibilities that overlap. Sydney will become the primary location for more product teams, along with some roles in other specialties where Canva says working together in person is particularly important.
The company is also changing its expectations for hybrid work. Beginning in January 2027, most hybrid employees will be expected to work from an office two or three days a week, with the schedule varying by area.
For employees who leave, Canva says its support package will include at least six months of salary, 12 months of healthcare coverage, and career support resources. The company has not provided a breakdown of how many people will change roles, relocate, or depart. That distinction will determine how the announced changes affect individual workers.
The announcement follows a separate workforce reduction at Squarespace, which said on November 2 that it was laying off 19 percent of its staff. Canva’s plan, however, includes role changes and potential relocations as well as departures. For now, the figure of 1,271 represents employees affected by Canva’s broader restructuring, not a confirmed layoff total.