This guide helps navigate the sometimes complex processes surrounding visas, work permits and taxes when preparing to tour internationally. Although the information is written for performing arts companies in Australia and New Zealand, artists in different disciplines and from other countries may find useful advice and information resources. 

International circulation is essential to any performing arts company or individual artist yet financial and legal obstacles make travelling and international touring and cooperation too expensive and burdensome.

Complying with the visa and taxation laws of the countries you visit while on tour requires extensive research, planning and budgeting. Visas and taxation systems vary from one country to another and are subject to constant change. This guide gives a snapshot of current regulations to provide a starting point for research you must do each time you tour internationally.

Each year hundreds of Australian and New Zealand artists perform overseas.  The guide provides links to sources of information, some written for the cultural sector and other more general websites. It also includes case studies that feature ways in which arts companies and producers actually operate and some of the problems they encounter.

The guide was initiated and developed by the Australia Council for the Arts and Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa in response to the needs of the artists and arts organisations they work with.  It was researched and written by Sophie Travers and Linda Sastradipradja.

It focuses on the regions identified by Australian and New Zealand performing arts companies as high priorities:

•           Australia and New Zealand

•           Asia – China, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, Macau, Singapore,  Taiwan

•           Europe – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy,               the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

•           Latin America – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico

•           North America – Canada and the United States of America

The guide is available at the Australia Council website:

International visas and taxation: a guide for performing arts organisations in Australia and New Zealand

You can also download it directly HERE.