There are various types of transfers and sanction forms across our three governing bodies (GAA, LGFA, Camogie). The following provides information and links to the forms follow the explanation.
Inter-County Transfers
The transfer period for inter-county players for all codes has a deadline date of March 31st. No transfers will be accepted after that date. Please note that any player who is transferring from Ireland or another county but who is already resident in Canada can get an inter-county transfer up until that date. The CGAA has final approval on inter-county transfers and does reserve the right to confirm the eligibility of the transferee. Please also note that a player who obtained a Sanction or a Permit to play with a club in Canada in the current year and has remained and is still resident in Canada can apply for a transfer. A player who obtained a Sanction or Permit in the current but returned to Ireland will have to apply again for a Sanction/Permit if they intend to return to Canada the next year.
GAA transfers (Gaelic Football, Hurling)
Club secretaries should be using the online
PTS (Player Transfer system). All clubs have been provided with logon credentials for PTS. The system allows clubs to track the progress of the
transfer. Please note that any
player who is
transferring from Ireland
but who is already resident in Canada can get an inter-county
transfer up until that date. The
CGAA has final approval on inter-county
transfers and does reserve the right to confirm the eligibility of the
transferee.
PLEASE NOTE: A
transfer will be rejected if the
player does not fill in his “Last Championship Match Played” information. If the
player never played a championship game then they need to identify that on the application.
LGFA (Ladies Football) Transfers
For any Ladies
transferring to a club in Canada from another county must complete the
LGFA Inter-Club transfer form. There is no online system currently in place. The
player must complete the required fields and get their club and county secretaries in Ireland or another county to also sign off on the
transfer. We have had issues in the past where clubs have left the paperwork until the last minute which causes a significant burden and may jeopardize the completion of the transfer. Many counties in Ireland will only go through the
transfers at committee meetings – some of which are only held monthly or bi-monthly. So, it is imperative that for your ladies’
players resident in Canada who want to get a
transfer get their paperwork in order quickly. The CGAA Secretary can sign off from a
CGAA approval and will then send on the paperwork to the relevant club secretary in Ireland for their signatures, but the CGAA cannot pursue or check on the progress. The
player needs to ensure that the paperwork is getting moved along. The LGFA offices will help as best they can however, they cannot pursue the progress either. PLEASE ENSURE ALL THE SIGNATURES ARE COMPLETED WITHIN CANADA, INCLUDING CGAA SECRETARY, FIRST. CGAA will send on to the appropriate club secretary in Ireland. Please also note that if a transfer is overlooked for a ladies player, the Permit process cannot be used as a backup.
Camogie Transfers
For any ladies
transferring to a club in Canada for Camogie, they must complete the
CC4 transfer form. There is no online system. Similar to the LGFA
transfers, the
player must complete the required fields and get their club and county secretaries in Ireland or another county to also sign off on the
transfer. Again, and similar to the LGFA
transfers please do not leave this until the last minute as the deadlines of March 31st are strongly enforced for all Gaelic Games codes.
Transfer Exemptions
There are exemptions for transfers allowed for Ladies Football and Camogie players. A player wishing to transfer to play camogie with a club in Canada does not require a transfer if they have not taken part in a competitive match for a period of 24 months.
For Ladies football, a transfer is not required if the player has not played League or Championship football for a period of 3 years provided other eligibility conditions are satisfied.
Below are links to the Exemption forms for LGFA and Camogie that must be completed and signed by any players who are in this situation. Please be advised that these documents are subject to scrutiny by the respective associations in Ireland.
For Men’s Gaelic Football and Hurling, there are no exemptions.
Again, any player transferring to a club in Canada must already be a resident of Canada.
Transfers of players between clubs within Canada
Any player who is transferring between clubs within Canada must have a CGAA Intra-County transfer form (click “CGAA Player Transfer Within Canada” link below) completed and signed off by their current club and their new club. The form requires the approval signature of the secretary of the club that the player is leaving. Once all signatures are obtained, the form needs to be sent to CGAA Secretary for final approval. Secretary.ca@gaa.ie
Please note that the deadline for transfers between clubs within Canada is July 1st.
GAA and Camogie Sanctions/LGFA Permits
Any player who is not resident in Canada by the transfer deadline of March 31st will be able to obtain a GAA or Camogie Sanction/LGFA Permit should they plan on joining a club in Canada in a certain year. The Sanction/Permit process will not be initiated until such time as the Transfer process has been completed. Here are the Sanction/Permit forms:
GAA Sanction
LGFA Permit
Camogie Sanction
Sanction/Permit Insurance
Players who are travelling to the Canada (or the U.S.A.) for the summer MUST be registered club members in order to receive a Sanction/Permit to allow them play on a temporary basis with clubs in these areas. As per Official Guide Rule it is compulsory for all players to obtain appropriate insurance cover before a permit to Canada can be granted. The GAA has a scheme in place that provides adequate cover of which the LGFA and Camogie players can avail. Like the vast majority of travel insurance policies, the option offered by the GAA can only be purchased by individuals before they leave Ireland. Important point for players to note: Permits will NOT be processed unless insurance has been purchased and it is to be provided with the Sanction/Permit form.
Find more information on sanction/permit insurance, including a list of approved insurance providers, on the GAA Overseas Sanction page or the LGFA Permit Insurance page.
Here is a list of Transfer Forms:
CGAA Player Transfer Within Canada
GAA Inter County Transfer Form
Camogie Inter County Transfer Form
Camogie Transfer Exemption
LGFA Inter Club Transfer Form
CGAA-LGFA-Transfer Exemption Form
Permission to Play Hurling/Football Exemption
GAA PTS – Player Transfer System
