John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund (the Fund) is a closed-end management investment company. The Fund’s investment objective is to provide total return consisting of a high level of current income and gains and long-term capital appreciation. In pursuing its investment objective of total return, the Fund will seek to emphasize high current income. In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund seeks to achieve favorable after-tax returns for its shareholders by seeking to minimize the United States federal income tax consequences on income and gains generated by the Fund. The fund invests in real estate investment trusts (REITs). John Hancock Investment Management LLC is the investment advisor of the Fund.