Canva Faces Fresh Workforce Uncertainty
Canva could announce another round of job cuts or introduce a company-wide hiring freeze in November 2026, according to a report by Australian publication Capital Brief. The development has raised concerns among employees as the design software company accelerates its artificial intelligence strategy and reassesses its business priorities.
The report, cited by People Matters, refers to two employees familiar with internal discussions who said rumours of redundancies or a possible recruitment pause were circulating within the organisation.
However, Canva has not officially confirmed another round of layoffs or announced a hiring freeze. The scale, timing and potential departments affected also remain unclear.
Previous Job Cuts Add to Employee Concerns
The latest uncertainty follows earlier workforce reductions at Canva.
According to Capital Brief, the company cut 32 positions in its finance division in January 2026 as part of changes to its finance operations. Affected employees were reportedly offered redundancy packages, internal job opportunities and career support.
Canva had also reduced its technical content writing team in March 2025. At the time, the company said it was changing how it created and maintained technical documentation, giving engineering teams greater responsibility while introducing new tools.
These developments have renewed discussions about how technology companies are reorganising teams as their operating models evolve.
AI Strategy and Competitive Pressure
Canva's growing focus on AI is another factor behind the reported workforce concerns.
Co-founder Cliff Obrecht has reportedly stressed the need to accelerate product development to stay competitive with AI companies such as Anthropic. His comments have added to speculation about the pace of organisational changes.
The company has been expanding its AI-powered product capabilities, including Canva AI 2.0. At the same time, CEO Melanie Perkins has acknowledged that the company revised its 2026 revenue growth forecast from 30% to 20%, according to reporting by Startup Daily.
Perkins said Canva had slowed the rollout of some AI offerings to rebuild its technology architecture, reduce unit costs and strengthen its business model.
This highlights the challenge of balancing investment in new technology with sustainable business growth.
Strong User Growth Does Not Eliminate Business Pressures
Despite the revised growth outlook, Canva reported more than 265 million monthly active users and over 31 million paid users at the end of 2025.
The company has also remained profitable for nine years, according to the cited reporting. These figures suggest that the reported workforce uncertainty should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of declining user demand or financial distress.
Instead, the situation reflects the broader challenges technology companies face as they adapt their teams, costs and product strategies to changing competitive conditions.
What the Possible Restructuring Means for HR Teams
The reported situation at Canva highlights a growing challenge for HR leaders: managing workforce transformation while maintaining employee confidence and organisational stability.
As companies invest in AI and revise operational priorities, HR teams must balance several responsibilities, including workforce planning, talent redeployment, reskilling and transparent employee communication.
Whether Canva proceeds with layoffs or a hiring freeze remains unconfirmed. Its next decisions could offer a clearer picture of how the company plans to align its workforce with its evolving AI and business strategy.
