MAINLAND EUROPE — UK actors and performers have encountered obstacles working in mainland Europe since Brexit, including restrictive visa rules, new tax burdens, and diminished job opportunities, according to industry representatives between 2021 and 2023. The National Theatre halted tours to mainland Europe in 2021. Performing arts exports to the EU declined from £1.15bn in 2016 to £929m in 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Post-Brexit visa rules limit UK performers to working in the EU for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, including time spent on holiday. Social security contributions of 12% to 22% are deducted from their pay, which can be reclaimed but often requires months of administrative effort and professional accounting support. Some performers have been asked to work illegally by entering the EU on holiday visas when work permits could not be processed in time—a practice Spotlight described in written evidence as a “ticking timebomb” that could result in deportation and blacklisting.
Spotlight, a major casting and talent platform, stated in written evidence to a parliamentary investigation that jobs for TV commercials are now “almost completely unavailable to UK performers.” The organization also reported that some EU-based businesses actively blacklist UK-only passport holders, and certain holiday companies no longer audition UK citizens for EU-filmed advertisements. Pre-Brexit, one television campaign employed 45 UK-based individuals; similar projects are now typically cast from within the EU due to paperwork demands and tight production schedules.
Jonathan Shalit, founder of InterTalent Rights Group, said: “Many opportunities come fairly late in the day, and it is very hard to turn these things around quickly. It doesn’t happen with your leading players, but absolutely, I have seen people suggest coming on the wrong visa, and ‘only put your client forward if they have a European passport.’” He added: “The simple answer is Brexit has been catastrophic for the creative industries. We as a country made the decision to leave Europe. This is self-inflicted. Europe don’t really want us unless they have to.”
Matt Hood, managing director of Spotlight, said: “Brexit has placed British performers in a cultural cul-de-sac. What is clear is that the UK has amazing talent, and the opportunity to export that talent has diminished considerably post Brexit.” Summer contracts for theme parks, tours, and cruises—once common entry points for UK students and new graduates—are now largely inaccessible. Casting directors have also noted a decline in working-class actors securing EU-based roles, as upfront costs like visas and delayed reimbursements favor those from wealthier backgrounds.