Singapore Expats

Age limit for National Service as a PR

Do you have a question about National Service (NS) in Singapore? Discuss it here.
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jpatokal
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Re: PR application during study

Post by jpatokal » Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:59 pm

smaung wrote:I'm now holding the student pass ( foreigner ) and studying at one of the polytechnics in singapore. I'm a 2nd year student. I got a letter from ICA to apply the PR. It is stated that if I get the PR during study I need to serve NS for 2 years. Isn't it 1st generation? I'm not getting it from family ties or technical or job. So do I need to serve NS or can it be exempted as it is 1st generation.
If you really have no connection at all to Singapore, then that sounds very strange. Are your parents PR?
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Post by smaung » Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:16 am

Hello jpatokal, thank you for your reply.

My parents are not PR and they are not in Singapore. Yes it is strange that they offer PR to almost all the international students at the same batch with me. Normally, foreigners who study in Polytechnics get their PR offer just before graduation and have to apply with a job. Then they are first generation and don't need to serve NS.

For my case, where can I get the informations and what if I reject this time? Will there be less chance if I apply PR after poly if I reject this time?

Thanks

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Post by econoMIC » Mon, 02 Nov 2009 4:00 pm

Hi Smaung,

this is bizarre and yet unheard of. From my knowledge this was not the case before, however I only know this from friends who graduated at NUS and SMU, not Poly. How old are you? As you are younger than a university graduate one might think it is due to age as well. This is the first time we hear about this I think. All this guessing doesn't help you though. Hence I would suggest you contact ICA (or whoever issued your invitation) and get to the bottom of it. I think from what you say the crucial question is whether you can still take up PR after you finished studying. Then it might not apply as you said "if you take up PR while studying". Maybe this is also because as a PR your student fees will be less, no?
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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by SUN_1100 » Mon, 27 Feb 2017 11:19 am

Hi,

My husband just got the PR via spouse sponsor scheme.
He is currently staying in SG but work in JB, Malaysia.

Under NS-Liable Scheme, he is required to serve NS.
But how true is this? We are very worrying this as he need to secure his job to feed the kids.

He is currently age 32. Anyone face the same situation before?

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PNGMK
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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by PNGMK » Mon, 27 Feb 2017 11:37 am

SUN_1100 wrote:Hi,

My husband just got the PR via spouse sponsor scheme.
He is currently staying in SG but work in JB, Malaysia.

Under NS-Liable Scheme, he is required to serve NS.
But how true is this? We are very worrying this as he need to secure his job to feed the kids.

He is currently age 32. Anyone face the same situation before?
No - he while be given an exemption when he reports to CMPB. No 1st generation PR do NS. only second gen such as your sons.
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by devancourse » Sun, 26 Mar 2017 7:35 pm

Hi,

I am 30 yrs old, 1st-gen PR living in Singapore for almost 10 years. I am currently in the process of converting to Singapore Citizen. I would like to know whether I will have to serve NS under such condition?

Thanks

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ecureilx
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Re: RE: Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by ecureilx » Sun, 26 Mar 2017 11:05 pm

devancourse wrote:Hi,

I am 30 yrs old, 1st-gen PR living in Singapore for almost 10 years. I am currently in the process of converting to Singapore Citizen. I would like to know whether I will have to serve NS under such condition?

Thanks
No. If you obtained PR on your own.

But out of curiosity, if you have to serve, what would you do ?

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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by DumbAndDumber » Tue, 26 Mar 2019 5:16 pm

Hi, I am bumping up this old thread for a similar question:

I got my in-principle-approval for PR, and it says I "may be liable for full time NS"... I didn't anticipate that, and since I am 41 years old with a job and two kids, that's a bit worrying. I now realise that I should have applied under the skilled worker scheme (automatically exempted) rather than as a dependant of my wife, but too late for that. Live and learn.

Various people keep telling me different versions of "they won't call you lah", but if I read the Enlistment Act, it is possible that I would have to serve full time NS:

“person subject to this Act” means a person who is a citizen of Singapore or a permanent resident thereof and who is not less than 16 years and 6 months of age and not more than 40 years of age or, in the case of a person who —
(a) is an officer of the armed forces or a senior military expert; or
(b) is skilled in an occupation which the Minister by notification in the Gazette designates as an occupation required to meet the needs of the armed forces,
not more than 50 years of age;


I could not find out what happened to the Original Poster, which is probably a good sign, as I suppose we would have heard from him if he got a call from CMPB... Are there some recent examples of similar situations? Are there cases of new PRs who have to serve full time NS after 40, under (b) above?

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PNGMK
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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by PNGMK » Tue, 26 Mar 2019 6:32 pm

No lah. No chance unless China forcibly converts us to the 29th province.
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

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sundaymorningstaple
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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Tue, 26 Mar 2019 7:33 pm

You have to register but will be given a waiver as you are already over 40. In fact if you are in your mid-30s the odds are that you will be given as waiver as well, even though you got PR based on family ties.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by DumbAndDumber » Wed, 27 Mar 2019 3:31 pm

Thanks for the answers. I'm going to go ahead and I'll let you know if they ask me to go play play in the woods with 18 year olds and explosives. Gee, that would be weird!

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Re: RE: Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by sdkks » Tue, 21 May 2019 1:47 pm

ecureilx wrote:
devancourse wrote:Hi,

I am 30 yrs old, 1st-gen PR living in Singapore for almost 10 years. I am currently in the process of converting to Singapore Citizen. I would like to know whether I will have to serve NS under such condition?

Thanks
No. If you obtained PR on your own.

But out of curiosity, if you have to serve, what would you do ?
Now I'm in this situation, been PR since 2013, this year I'm 34 years old and 6 months into my SC application. By the time it's approved, if it's approved hopefully, I'd be 35 easily. I guess I won't be asked to take up the rifle and start running now?

When I got my PR, I was asked to register, then received a letter that I need not serve NS. I'm hoping with SC process that won't change?

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PNGMK
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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by PNGMK » Tue, 21 May 2019 3:55 pm

No it won't change. Well not unless Singapore has a military crisis and then all bets are off.
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

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sundaymorningstaple
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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Tue, 21 May 2019 3:59 pm

No worries. You already have your waiver, that won't change. The only way it would change is if China gets tired of Singapore's fence sitting and always burning the candle at both ends. If that happens we are all in a bunch of sh*t!
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Re: Age limit for National Service as a PR

Post by Tambie » Sun, 03 Jul 2022 4:49 pm

Hi All,

I face the same situation as dumb and dumper. Can anyone tell me your experience if you receive your PR under the family tie lane above 40 years old if you still called up for NS?

Appreciate your input

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