Ukraine launches digital system “Obriy”: what will change for all employees and the unemployed
17 November 16:57
ANALYSIS FROM 
The state is going to control all Ukrainians who work. To this end, the Cabinet of Ministers is creating a new state ecosystem for the labor market in Ukraine – Obriy – and, as usual, through the Diia app. Obriy will collect personal data of a citizen and, without his or her consent, use artificial intelligence (AI) to select and offer him or her a new job. In fact, every Ukrainian’s entire work history will be in the palm of their hand, and their pension will also depend on it. What other surprises will the new system have in store for them, we found out
The State Employment Service will become the administrator of Obriy, which will receive data from various state registers – the Pension Fund, the Employment Service, the Ministry of Education, etc.
The goal is to make the employment process more transparent, simplify bureaucracy, and predict labor market needs. The system will use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the labor market, select vacancies, and offer career paths.
That is, as soon as a person loses his or her job, which will be immediately obvious because payroll deductions to the pension and tax funds will stop, his or her data will immediately start the process of finding a job for him or her. Even if a citizen decides to take a break from employment.
He or she may not even know that AI is already looking for a suitable job for him or her, asking for information about his or her education, where he or she worked before, and at the same time checking whether there were any additional payments – for example, whether social assistance, sick pay, disability payments, etc. were paid, etc. And most importantly, whether this person is a pensioner. And based on all this data, he or she will be offered a job, or advanced training or retraining courses. They can offer grants to start their own business, etc.,” says
"Komersant Ukrainian" headhunter Valentina Petrovskaya says.
“There will be no need to make any separate applications from citizens to the employment service, because when a person is employed, he or she already formally consents to the processing of his or her personal data.
What will Obriy give to the unemployed?
According to the headhunters, what can Obriy be useful for?
- Accessibility – through Diia, many services become online, there is no need to visit employment centers in person.
- Transparency – automatic data checks through registries can reduce delays associated with manual processing of documents.
- Proactive support for the unemployed – the system does not just wait for a person to apply, but analyzes who needs help the most and offers options (vacancies, courses, grants).
- Support for people who lost their jobs due to the war – the ability to register unemployment status and receive assistance can be very important in the current environment.
That is, if now a job seeker applies to recruitment agencies, not just to the state employment service, where he or she brings a resume describing his or her achievements – diplomas, work experience, contact details – then with the launch of Obriy, there will be no need to do this. You can sit and wait for the state to offer something. Although you can wait a long time, because, as headhunters say, it is not yet clear whether businesses will have direct access to these registers. And how productive the search for an employee will be in general, because he or she may not meet the selection criteria of certain companies.
According to Oleksiy Miroshnychenko, President of the Control and Audit Department, with the launch of Obriy, a citizen will lose his or her pension and benefits if he or she does not want to go to work, because his or her profile will appear in the state employment center. The new system will become a “stick” for those who can work but avoid it: the state will use the registers to find out the reasons and demand that they either work or not count on payments.
Pros and cons of “Obriy”
Another issue arises: data confidentiality. Since Obriy works with data from the Pension Fund, employment centers, and other registries, it generates a huge amount of personal data, which must be securely protected. A large centralized digital platform is a potential target for hacking, data leaks, or cyberattacks. If Obriy becomes a critical infrastructure, a security breach could have serious consequences.
However, the use of AI also means that the system “analyzes” people: there is a risk of automatic stigmatization or false status determination (for example, incorrect unemployment detection).
If the Obriy system starts actively pushing people to certain professions or courses, it could strengthen the role of the state in shaping the labor market – not only through support but also through a significant impact on career choices. There is a risk that AI algorithms will favor employers that “pay more” or professions that are beneficial to the state over those chosen by people. If AI is not properly configured, it can show bias, for example, favoring certain regions, age groups, or types of profiles. “We need to control that the recommendations are fair, not just favorable to the state or large employers,” says Valentyna Petrovska.
“There is also a risk of misuse of data on labor history, payments, and retraining, which can affect people’s social guarantees.
Artificial intelligence algorithms can be opaque: it is difficult for people to understand why certain vacancies are recommended to them, why they were rejected or offered certain courses. If decisions are made automatically, there is less transparency in the process. If there is no rigorous audit, the system can be used for “mass career guidance” into professions that are beneficial to the state (for example, to cover staff shortages in government agencies). “There is a risk of bureaucratic pressure: people may feel that Obriy dictates what they have to do to get help or a grant,” says lawyer Serhiy Protsenko.
“Overall, Obriy is a positive initiative: a state digital employment platform that can greatly simplify the lives of the unemployed, increase the effectiveness of support and help people retrain. But, as with any large digital project involving AI and a large amount of sensitive data, there are important risks – especially in terms of privacy, transparency, and potential discrimination. To minimize the threats, it is important that the authorities and Obriy’s developers conduct external audits, publish reports, and give people the opportunity to understand how decisions are made by the system.
Author — Alla Dunina
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