Canva is announcing changes and layoffs affecting 22 percent of its staff

Canva co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins announced changes affecting 1,271 people, 22 percent of staff. Some will change roles, some will be asked to relocate to centralised hubs, and some will leave. The Verge's report, by senior reporter Jay Peters, is dated November 3, 2026, 10:59 PM UTC. He covers technology, gaming, and more, and joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.

This piece is for employees in Product, Growth, and Platform, for hybrid staff facing a January office rule, and for readers following the Squarespace cuts reported the day before. It covers the single product organization, Sydney as the primary home for more product teams and some Specialties, 2 to 3 office days each week, and exit benefits that include at least six months of salary, twelve months of healthcare coverage, and career support resources.

Canva is: the announcement

Melanie Perkins told staff Canva is making significant changes affecting 1,271 people, 22 percent of staff. "For some people, this will mean changes to their roles or being asked to relocate to centralised hubs," she said. "Sadly, it will also mean saying goodbye to teammates and friends who have helped build Canva into what it is today." Her note puts those outcomes in one line: some Canva workers may have different roles, be asked to relocate, or be laid off.

In her note to staff, Perkins wrote: "After exploring a wide range of alternatives, I've come to the difficult conclusion that small changes won't be enough. To set ourselves up for the next decade, we need to refound Canva, getting back to our roots of small, empowered teams with the freedom to make decisions, take ownership and focus on what matters most for our community." She gave no dollar figure for the refound and no split of the 1,271 people into separate counts for role changes, relocations, and layoffs.

What actually changed with Canva

Canva is bringing its Product, Growth, and Platform teams together into one product organization. Perkins described that step as "simplifying layers" and "consolidating overlapping responsibilities." The 1,271 people, 22 percent of staff, are the people those changes affect, a group that includes role changes, relocations, and departures. She said this followed a wide range of alternatives, because small changes will not be enough to refound Canva around small, empowered teams that can make decisions, take ownership, and focus on what matters most for the community.

Perkins is making Sydney the "primary home for more of our product teams, as well as roles in other Specialties where shared context and close collaboration are especially important." Starting in January, Canva will "expect" most hybrid employees to spend 2 to 3 days in an office each week, "depending on what makes sense in your area." The note names Sydney, the January start, and that 2-to-3-day range. It does not list other hub cities or the Specialties covered by the shared-context rule.

Who should care about Canva

The 1,271 people, 22 percent of staff, are the ones whose jobs change under the note. Perkins said some of them will have different roles or be asked to relocate to centralised hubs, and some will leave. She described colleagues who exit as "teammates and friends who have helped build Canva into what it is today." People working in Product, Growth, or Platform are in the reorganized group as well: those three teams are being brought into one product organization, with layers simplified and overlapping responsibilities consolidated.

Most hybrid employees, including people who stay, fall under the office rule that starts in January. Canva will expect them to spend 2 to 3 days in an office each week, "depending on what makes sense in your area." Product teams, and roles in other Specialties where shared context and close collaboration are especially important, are being gathered with Sydney as the primary home. The day before Perkins's November 3, 2026 announcement, Squarespace announced layoffs affecting 19 percent of its staff.

How to try Canva

The staff note does not name a new Canva release, a price, or a signup step. What it gives people who remain is a schedule and, for some, a move. Starting in January, Canva will expect most hybrid employees to spend 2 to 3 days in an office each week, with the number "depending on what makes sense in your area." Some employees will be asked to relocate to centralised hubs. Sydney is the primary home Perkins named for more of the product teams and for Specialties roles that need shared context and close collaboration.

Employees leaving Canva will get benefits including at least six months of salary, twelve months of healthcare coverage, and career support resources. Perkins tied that package to people the company will be saying goodbye to, teammates and friends who have helped build Canva into what it is today. She did not divide the 1,271 people, equal to 22 percent of staff, into separate counts for layoffs, role changes, and relocation to centralised hubs in her November 3, 2026 note to staff.

What to watch after Canva

January is the next date in Perkins's note. In that month Canva will expect most hybrid employees to spend 2 to 3 days a week in an office, depending on the area. Separate from the office rule, Product, Growth, and Platform are being brought into one product organization, which she described as simplifying layers and consolidating overlapping responsibilities. Sydney is the primary home she named for more product teams and for roles in other Specialties where shared context and close collaboration are especially important.

Perkins's published scale is 1,271 people, 22 percent of staff, covering role changes, relocations to centralised hubs, and layoffs, without separate totals for each. People who leave are due benefits including at least six months of salary, twelve months of healthcare coverage, and career support resources. The day before, Squarespace announced layoffs affecting 19 percent of its staff. She said Canva has to refound itself for the next decade around small, empowered teams with freedom to make decisions, take ownership, and focus on the community.