Business · Companies · 1 hr ago
Canva restructure will affect 1,271 jobs, or 22% of its workforce
Canva, the design software company founded in Sydney, says it will restructure its global workforce.
The changes will affect 1,271 jobs, or 22 per cent of its staff, through job cuts and relocations.
The company says growth slowed this year for the first time in a decade.
Canva aims to return to small, empowered teams and reduce management layers.
It will combine its product, growth and platform teams into one product organisation.
Departing staff will receive at least six months’ salary and other support, including healthcare coverage where provided.
Staff working in a hybrid arrangement will be expected in the office two to three days a week from January, and some product teams will be based in Sydney.
Canva’s restructure will affect 1,271 jobs, or 22 per cent of its workforce.
The company says it wants to return to small, empowered teams after growth slowed this year.
Some employees will lose their roles, while others may be asked to relocate.
Canva will merge product, growth and platform teams into one product organisation and cut management layers.
Departing staff will receive at least six months’ salary and 12 months of healthcare coverage where Canva provides it.
- Who
- Canva, the Sydney-based design company, and its global workforce.
- What
- A restructure affecting 1,271 jobs, or 22 per cent of its workforce.
- When
- Announced on Wednesday; the articles were published on November 3 and updated November 4, 2026.
- Where
- Canva is based in Sydney, and the affected staff are based globally.
- Why
- Canva says it wants to return to small, empowered teams after growth slowed this year.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Canva was started in Sydney.
Canva launched Canva Create, which it described as its biggest product launch to date.
Canva said it had reduced the costs associated with its AI product by about 90 per cent.
Co-founder and chief executive Melanie Perkins announced the restructure to staff.
Hybrid staff are expected to work in the office two to three days a week.
- Jobs affected
- 1,271
- Share of workforce affected
- 22 per cent
- Staff
- 5,500 employees across 37 countries
- Monthly active users
- 220 million
- Departure support
- At least six months’ salary and 12 months of healthcare coverage where Canva provides it
- Start-up grants
- US$10,000 per departing team member who wants to start a business or community initiative
5 sources
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What people are saying
This is without doubt the hardest moment in our thirteen-year history.
I’m deeply sorry for the pain and disruption this will cause for everyone affected.
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.
To serve 200-plus million users, a very generous free AI product comes with a huge cost and so we needed to get that cost down.