Changes to Import, Non-Import Definitions as per New CBA

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

http://cfl.ca/article/new-five-year-cba-ratified-by-cfl-and-cflpa

The agreement changes the way players are classified. Instead of being known as non-imports and imports, they will now be classified as nationals and internationals.

A player will be considered a national player if he was a Canadian citizen at the time of signing his first contract, was classified as a non-import prior to May 31, 2014, or was physically resident in Canada for an aggregate period of five years prior to reaching the age of 18.

In the past, a player could be born in Canada and have Canadian citizenship, but not qualify for non-import status if he received his football training outside of Canada. One example would be the sons of some former CFL players, who may have been born in Canada but learned their football in the U.S.

While some have long argued non-import players should simply be called Canadians, there remain some players in the league who were counted as non-imports even though they are not Canadian citizens.


Nationals and internationals.. classy.
#2

Bout time, sounds much better. What could be worse than being called an "import" would be to be be called a "non import" in your own country.

#3

Even at this last draft, there were a couple of players that were well regarded that weren't eligible because of the particulars of the previous rule. The changes make sense to me.

#4

So Josh Bartel is grandfathered in, but any other Australians (or for that matter, any other non-Canadians) will be unable to qualify as a "national" without meeting the criteria above.

#5

I like this a lot better a lot cleaner. If you are born in Canada you are a Canadian Citizen makes sense to be a National. Internationals are born out of Canada or did not spend a good part of there pre 18 life in Canada.