Snap Layoffs 2026: What’s Happening & Severance Rights in Canada

Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, is planning to cut around 1,000 full-time jobs in North America — approximately 16% of its workforce in Canada and the US. (HRD Canada)

Additionally, at least 300 open positions are being closed as the social media company implements artificial intelligence-driven efficiencies.

“We believe that rapid advancements in [AI] enable our teams to reduce repetitive work, increase velocity, and better support our community, partners, and advertisers,” CEO Evan Spiegel said in a letter to staff. (CNBC)

“We have already witnessed small squads leveraging AI tools to drive meaningful progress across several important initiatives, including Snapchat+, enhanced ad platform performance, and efficiency improvements in our Snap Lite infrastructure.”

A workforce reduction of this size was one of the suggestions that Irenic Capital Management, a Snap shareholder, included in a recent letter to Spiegel.

This page explains:

• What’s happening with Snap layoffs
• Whether a layoff at Snap is permanent
• How much severance Snap employees in Canada may be owed
• What to do before signing a severance offer

Snap Layoffs: A Timeline of Recent Job Cuts

Snap has significantly restructured in recent years, with job cuts that have affected teams linked to Canadian operations.

• Feb. 2024: Snap is eliminating approximately 10% of its workforce, or 500 jobs, to “reduce hierarchy and promote in-person collaboration.”
• Aug. 2022: Snap is laying off approximately 1,300 employees, or 20% of its workforce, as part of a company-wide restructuring.
• Feb. 2019: Snap laid off 5 employees as part of a restructuring of its research group. The cuts come after the company’s director of research, David Salesin, left in December 2018.
• March 2018: Snap laid off more than 200 workers as part of a restructuring that began in 2017. At the beginning of the month, the social media giant cut more than 120 engineers.
• Oct. 2017: Snap cut 18 employees in its recruiting division after a dozen layoffs in the company’s hardware marketing division in September.

Is a Layoff at Snap Temporary or Permanent?

For non-unionized Snap employees, a layoff is almost always treated as a termination without cause, even if the following language is used:

• “Restructuring”
• “Reorganization”
• “Transformation”
• “Temporary layoff”

Unless your employment contract explicitly allows for Snap to temporarily lay you off, the company can’t place you on indefinite layoff without terminating your employment — meaning they must provide full severance pay.

Severance Pay for Snap Staff

In Canada, non-unionized employees, including those at Snap, are often owed far more severance pay than what’s outlined in their initial offer.

Severance is based on common law entitlements, not just minimum standards. Factors include:

• Age
• Length of service
• Position and seniority
• Availability of comparable jobs

In many cases, Snap employees in Canada can be owed up to 24 months of compensation.

Severance may include:

• Base salary
• Continued benefits
• Bonus and incentive compensation
• Stock, equity, or RRSP contributions (where applicable)
• Vacation pay
• Other earned compensation

First offers often:

• Cover only minimum entitlements
• Exclude bonuses or incentives
• Impose short signing deadlines
• Undervalue long-service or senior employees

Severance Offers: Common Problems

Canadian employees affected by layoffs frequently report issues such as:

• Severance offers far below legal entitlements
• Missing or unclear compensation breakdowns
• Benefits cut off too early
• Bonuses excluded without justification
• “Temporary layoff” language used improperly
• Pressure to sign within 24–48 hours

Wrongful Dismissal and Snap Layoffs

A wrongful dismissal occurs when major employers, including Snap, fail to provide full severance required under common law.

You may have a claim if:

• Your severance offer is too low
• A termination clause isn’t enforceable
• You were pressured to accept your severance offer on the spot
• Bonuses or benefits were excluded from your severance package
• You were terminated while on medical, parental, or disability leave
• Snap labelled your termination a “temporary layoff” without contractual authority

Large-scale layoffs at Snap don’t reduce their legal obligations in Canada.

Laid Off at Snap? Next Steps

If you’ve been laid off at Snap in Canada:

1. Don’t sign your severance offer immediately
2. Gather your employment contract, bonus plans, and benefits information
3. Use the Severance Pay Calculator to double-check your entitlements
4. Keep records of your role, compensation, and length of service
5. Speak with an employment lawyer before agreeing to anything

Snap Layoffs: Frequently Asked Questions

How much severance can Snap employees receive?

Up to 24 months — depending on age, service, and position.

Are layoffs at Snap permanent?

For non-unionized employees, yes. A layoff is typically a termination.

Does Snap have to include bonuses in severance?

Often yes — especially if bonuses were a regular part of compensation.

Can Snap terminate employees on leave?

This can raise serious wrongful dismissal and human rights issues.

Can employment lawyers represent unionized Snap staff?

No. Unionized employees at Snap must go through their union.

Lost Your Job at Snap? Get Help Now

If Snap has laid you off, or offered a severance/buyout package, don’t do anything before seeking legal advice.

Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, one of Canada’s most reviewed employment law firms, has helped more than 50,000 Canadians secure the compensation they’re legally entitled to.

Disclaimer: The materials above are provided as general information about the rights of non-unionized employees in Canada. It is not specific to any one company and SHOULD NOT be read as suggesting any improper conduct on the part of any specific employer, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.