The Artists weekly contractual fee will be paid out by direct deposit on or before Friday of each week contracted. The Artist’s return travel September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 will be pro-rated at one-sixth (1/7) of the Artist’s contractual fee less deductions and HST.
Overseas Rider
When touring outside Canada and the continental U.S., Article 50:00 of the Independent Theatre Agreement (ITA) requires the Theatre and Equity to negotiate an overseas rider—detailing arrangements for the tour.
The rider must be attached to each individual contract and signed by both the Theatre and the Artist. Negotiations between the Theatre and Equity regarding the terms of the proposed rider must take place within 10 days of receiving the Theatre’s proposal.
Equity has prepared this guide to help facilitate a conversation and provide a basic framework for the negotiation of the arrangements for an overseas tour.
The following should appear in an overseas rider:
See a sample overseas rider
ViewApplication of the Independent Theatre Agreement
All conditions of the Independent Theatre Agreement that are not specifically modified by the overseas rider remain in full force and effect.
Contractual fees
Contracted fees are expected to be paid at least one week in advance of the contracted week they apply to.
Per diems
Per diem rates are determined in accordance with the National Joint Council Travel Directive (NJCTD) rates or the ITA, whichever is greater, as set out below. Negotiating a reduced per diem rate is discussed in the next section. If the per diem is paid electronically, the Theatre is responsible for any international transaction fees incurred by the Artist when spending their per diem abroad.
Sector 2 productions
Type of Accommodation: C-Day 1-30
Grand Total (taxes included) for the applicable country and city, OR
The minimum per diem in Clause 58:06, whichever is greater.
All other productions
Type of Accommodation: C-Day 31-120 (which is 75% of the full rate)
Grand Total (taxes included) for the applicable country and city, OR
The minimum per diem in Clause 49:03, whichever is greater.
Per diems will be set to a rate of $102.00 CAD plus 200 RMB (approx. $38.50CAD) for a total of $140.50 CAD per day while overseas and $68.50 CAD per travel day. Per diems will be paid out on or before the week prior to departure. The Theatre agrees to pay any international transaction fees related to the per diem. Should the amount of per diem be insufficient to cover the Artist’s fair and reasonable expenses while on tour, the Theatre shall supplement this amount as required.
Costs of working abroad
The Theatre is responsible for covering all administrative costs associated with working outside Canada.
The Theatre agrees to facilitate the Artist’s obtaining all passports and visas, recommended inoculations and to pay all costs for same; and will obtain and pay for any working permits, labour permits, entrance and exit fees, foreign union initiation fees and dues, and any charge of a similar nature placed upon the Artist.
Insurance
The Theatre must provide health, medical and dental insurance coverage for the Artist while outside Canada–in addition to coverage under Equity’s insurance plan–equivalent to what the Artist receives under the provincial health care system in Canada. It cannot exclude pre-existing conditions, and the Theatre is responsible for the cost of any emergency medical treatment beyond this coverage.
In addition to the Artist’s coverage under Equity’s accident and sickness insurance and touring insurance, the Theatre will ensure that the Artists have additional health, medical and emergency dental insurance coverage while outside Canada, equivalent to that which the Artist would receive under the applicable provincial health care system in Canada.
Note that workers travel medical and accident insurance does not cover Artists’ vacation travel. The Artist is advised to secure their own travel medical insurance if they are taking their own vacation travel after the engagement.
Schedule
The Theatre must provide a complete schedule for the overseas tour, including all rehearsal, performance, travel, and free days. The schedule should be as specific as possible, especially concerning call times, and duration/method of travel. A specific schedule is particularly helpful to ensure that any overtime or overnight rest infringements are considered in advance of the tour.
| September 8, 2026 | Day Off | |
| September 9–14, 2026 | Prep | |
| September 14, 2026 | Travel Day (Air – Depart Toronto) | |
| September 14, 2026 (Afternoon) | Travel Day (Air – Arrive in Shanghai) | |
| September 17, 2026 | Day Off | |
| September 18, 2026 (Evening) | Tech Rehearsal | |
| September 19, 2026 (19:30) | Dress Rehearsal | |
| September 20, 2026 (14:00) | Show #1 | |
| September 20, 2026 (19:30) | Show #2 | |
| September 21, 2026 (14:00) | Show #3 | |
| September 22, 2026 | Travel Day (Air – Depart Shanghai) |
Artist Travel
Transportation is expected to meet reasonable professional travel standards. An Artist’s dietary restrictions must be taken into consideration for meals provided during travel.
The Theatre agrees to provide the artist with economy airfare to travel the Artist to and from each location of work, as required in the Touring Itinerary. The Artist will be travelling on recognized and reputable international carriers. Transportation must be of a reasonable standard, ensuring comfort and safety consistent with professional travel norms. The Artist understands that the Theatre cannot be responsible for omissions on the part of the airline(s).
Rail transportation will include a reserved seat (if available) during the day, and a sleeper car for night travel.
The Artist will advise the Theatre of any special meal requirements, and the Theatre will use reasonable efforts to accommodate such requirements.
While on tour, the Artist shall travel with the Company by such routes as the Theatre may direct.
Should there be a delay in the Theatre’s arrangements for return transportation at the conclusion of the engagement outside Canada or en route, the Theatre shall continue to pay the Artist as provided for herein until transportation is provided for the return of the Artist to Canada.
At the request of the Artist, the Theatre shall make alternative return travel arrangements, and if the costs exceed the standard return fare and the Theatre books the Artist’s chosen fare, the Artist agrees to reimburse the Theatre prior to departure.
Should the Artist opt to choose their own travel arrangements (ex. a different flight than the Theatre’s supplied route and/or a route returning to Canada at a later date), the Theatre will provide the Artist with the cash equivalent of the roundtrip economy ticket for Artists travelling round-trip with the company.
Travel days overseas are usually quite long and can occur during typically prohibited travel hours. This often attracts substantial additional pay for overtime travel and/or overnight rest infringement.
If travel time exceeds 10 hours in a day, or occurs between 12:00 midnight and 8:00 am, overtime applies to each hour beyond these limits that the Artists spend travelling (door to door, including all ground, waiting time, and delays).
Instead of overtime travel/overnight rest infringement fees, the Theatre may provide the full company with an additional free day at the tour’s first stop to offset the overnight travel. Alternatively, if the Theatre cannot schedule an additional free day, the Theatre may negotiate with Equity a fee in lieu of the additional free day. This fee can also be negotiated for travel home.
Transportation
The rider should detail what expenses are covered and a timeline for reimbursement.
The Theatre will cover ground transportation from the Artist’s home to their local airport for all routes, provided that the Artist retains and submits their receipt for reimbursement within 30 days of the expense to the Company Manager and/or requests the Theatre to arrange and pay for such transportation directly with the service provider. For any expenses submitted by the Artist, the Artist will be reimbursed within a reasonable timeframe, generally two weeks from date of submission of receipt.
Supplied housing
Housing that is provided by the Theatre is expected to be single occupancy, safe, sanitary, and satisfactory to the Artist. The Theatre should provide reasonable information about the housing arrangements and facilities. If the arrangements are not suitable for the Artist, the Theatre is responsible for finding and arranging alternative housing satisfactory to the Artist, at no cost to the Artist.
Sometimes housing for the Artist is farther away than reasonable walking distance from the performance or rehearsal venue (over fifteen minutes), or lack of public transportation or lateness of the hour could affect the Artist’s safety, or the Artist requires accommodations for accessibility or health needs. In such cases, the Theatre is expected to provide accessible, safe and convenient transportation for the Artist to arrive at the venue in time for the scheduled call and/or to depart following the performance as applicable.
The Theatre agrees to provide private single-occupancy commercial accommodation of a first-class North American standard to the Artists, at no cost to the Artist, within one kilometre walking distance of the venue. The Artist will be staying at: Yu Garden Hotel, No. 399 Renmin road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, 200001
Other things to consider
The Theatre is expected to provide the Artist with as much information as possible about the country they will visit while on tour, and identify any significant concerns or unique situations the Artist may encounter. Some issues that might arise include:
- Specific taxation issues or government provisions/laws that may impact the Artist, such as withholding taxes, moral turpitude, unusual or strict laws, and penalties for infractions;
- Identification of societal customs, personal safety issues, and state or religious holidays;
- Identification of specific health risks or unusual health precautions;
- Identification of unique driving laws and pre-arrangement of international drivers license, including the Theatre’s requirement to pay all related costs;
- Identification of available medical services and emergency procedures;
- Supply of drinking water at the rehearsal and performance venues;
- Language barriers and interpreters, if applicable.