Male ROC citizens leaving the country to study abroad at an early age to avoid compulsory military service will no longer have to worry about being immediately drafted to serve in the military upon their arrival.
The Executive Yuan yesterday decided to continue a scheme allowing at least four months' stay for those with technological expertise to work in the government, non-profit technology-related organizations or the private sector instead of serving in the military.
Minister without Portfolio Tsay Ching-yen (
"For the country itself, it's definitely a good thing to have more technological talents coming home to serve the country," he said. "For the person himself, it's another way for him to fulfill his compulsory military service."
Currently, male citizens between age 18 and 40 are required to serve in the military for 22 months. To avoid military service, some leave the country at a young age to study abroad. However, they will be immediately drafted to serve in the military as soon as they return to the country if they do not hold a student visa.
To encourage male citizens between the ages of 18 and 40 with technological expertise to serve the country, the Ministry of National Defense initiated the scheme in 1980.
The scheme allows those with technological expertise to participate in an examination in which they can become reserve officers if they pass the test or reserve noncommissioned officers if they fail.
The annual quota for the scheme is about 3,000.
The conscripts then will attend a 12-week military training program before applying for positions at either the government, technology-related non-profit organizations or private technology-related institutions.
Once the conscripts pass the second-phase selection process, they will start their four-year service at an organization until they are discharged. During the four year period, they will not perform any military duties nor will they be treated as servicemen.
Should they leave the job midway, they will have to do their 22-month military service from the very beginning.
The ministry expanded the scheme this year to cover those leaving the country to study technology-related fields at an early age.
Potential candidates for the scheme, which generally begins in February, can stay until the result of the second-phase selection process is made available in June.
While there is an estimate of 30,000 potential candidates for the program, only four applied and passed the test this year.
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