(b) Resident. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a resident is an applicant whose current primary residence is within this Commonwealth. The following apply:

1. (1) College students. A resident includes an applicant who is attending a college, university or technical school outside of this Commonwealth, was a resident of this Commonwealth immediately prior to current scholastic enrollment, maintains a current residential mailing address in this Commonwealth and resides at that residential mailing address when their college, university or technical school is not in session.

2. (2) Members of the armed forces and their spouses. An applicant who is a current active-duty member of the armed forces of the United States, or who is the spouse of a current active-duty member of the armed forces of the United States, is a resident if the applicant meets either of the following:

   1. (i) The applicant was a resident of this Commonwealth immediately prior to their or their spouse’s most recent enlistment, the applicant or their spouse is scheduled to be discharged within 90 days of the applicant submitting their application to the Office of Administration and the applicant intends to reside in this Commonwealth immediately after the discharge.
   2. (ii) The applicant is currently living in this Commonwealth as part of their or their spouse’s current enlistment, the applicant or their spouse is scheduled to be discharged within 90 days of the applicant submitting their application to the Office of Administration and the applicant intends to reside in this Commonwealth immediately after the discharge.

(c) Former resident defined. A former resident of this Commonwealth is an applicant who relocated out-of-State for academic or employment purposes, plans to establish residency in this Commonwealth within 6 months of beginning employment in the classified service and has done one of the following:

1. (1) Graduated from a public, private or nonpublic secondary school in this Commonwealth, or satisfied the requirements set forth in sections 1327 and 1327.1 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. § § 13-1327 and 13-1327.1), within 5 years of applying for a position in the classified service.
2. (2) Satisfied the requirements set forth in sections 1327 and 1327.1 of the Public School Code of 1949 or attended a public, private or nonpublic school in this Commonwealth at least 80% of the time while enrolled in grades 1 through 12 within 5 years of applying for a position in the classified service.
3. (3) Graduated or attended a public, private or nonpublic secondary school in this Commonwealth, or satisfied the requirements set forth in sections 1327 and 1327.1 of the Public School Code of 1949 and graduated from a postsecondary institution in this Commonwealth within 5 years of applying for a position in the classified service.

(d) Counties.

1. (1) Upon the request and submission of justification by an appointing authority, the Office of Administration may limit certification for appointment or promotion to eligibles who are residents of a county within this Commonwealth, except that the limitations may not be imposed for a job classification for which the residency requirement has been waived in accordance with subsection (e).
2. (2) In the absence of eligibles who are residents of the county within this Commonwealth specified by the appointing authority, or upon exhaustion of a certified employment list or promotion list limited in accordance with paragraph (1), the Office of Administration may certify eligibles who are residents of contiguous counties or of this Commonwealth, as deemed appropriate by the Office of Administration.
3. (3) If an eligible changes residence from one county to another county of this Commonwealth, the Office of Administration may, upon request, transfer the eligible to the appropriate existing employment list or promotion list.