CAVA Helps Clarify U.S. Tax Requirements for Canadian Voice Talent Working Remotely

Canadian voice actors are breathing a sigh of relief thanks to newly announced clarity concerning tax form requirements when working remotely with U.S. clients through XR Extreme Reach Paymaster.

After months of confusion and misinformation regarding tax form requirements and the resulting loss of U.S. revenue for voice actors across Canada, the Canadian Association of Voice Actors (CAVA), led by Founder and President Tanya Buchanan, stepped in to advocate on behalf of voice talent nationwide.

Buchanan, also a voiceover agent, explained, “As an agent, I had many of my talent reaching out for months asking what they should do as their U.S. revenue was down significantly. When I realized that this wasn’t just an issue for my talent but for voice actors across the country, I knew I needed to put my CAVA hat on and investigate.”

Through her vast agent network—particularly in the U.S.—and by keeping the issue visible on social media, Buchanan was able to engage directly with XR, which resulted in clarification:

Canadian voice actors recording from Canada for U.S. clients only need to provide a Social Insurance Number (and GST/HST number, if applicable). No I-9 or W-8BEN forms are required.

To help eliminate recent misunderstandings in this matter, Nancy Ward, VP, Payroll XR Pay at XR Extreme Reach stated, "There has been some recent confusion about documents that XR requires. I-9s are only required for work taking place in the United States. If a performer is recording remotely outside of the U.S., that is not considered work in the U.S., even if the ad agency or production company is in the states. The work location is the performer's physical location. For Canadian citizens working in Canada, XR needs their Social Insurance Number, GST/HST number if applicable. We do not need an I-9 or W-8BEN. For Canadian citizens physically working in the U.S., XR requires a W-8BEN and an I-9, signed both by the performer and the employer. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding."

CAVA is a strong advocate for Canadian voice actors across the country and is proud to have played a role in achieving this clarity, making a real impact on Canadian voice talent. About CAVA

CAVA is a non-profit, national organization formed by industry professionals who saw the need

for a Canadian version of the U.S.-based National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) — given

that we have different laws and needs in Canada. CAVA was established to mimic NAVA’s

initiatives, with a focus on advocacy. Our goals include seeking legislative change with the

government regarding artificial intelligence (AI), with the ultimate goal of achieving ethical and

fair usage of our voices and likeness. CAVA also strives to educate its members on various topics

that may affect their voiceover businesses. Some examples include AI, VO Scams, how to

behave during a live directed session and how to read a contract. We are also here to help our

Canadian VO community thrive. We exist because there is a need.

About XR

XR is a global technology company that powers the creative economy. XR moves creativity

forward—uniting data at scale across content, media, and productions to maximize business

value through intelligence. Our platform empowers thousands of brands, agencies, publishers

and studios to create, distribute, and optimize advertising on any screen, anywhere in the

world. More than a billion brand assets and over US$100 billion in media and production spend

is powered by XR’s AI-driven enterprise platform. XR operates in 140 countries and has offices

across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.