Ukraine will resume open competitions for civil service positions and local self-government bodies. On October 26, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a relevant law providing for new employment rules, additional candidate screening, and publication of vacancies through the “Diia” portal.

As reported by the press service of the Verkhovna Rada, draft law No. 13478-1 was supported in the second reading and as a whole by 247 People's Deputies. Details of the new rules were also explained by the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (NADS).

Competitive selection will be restored in stages, and the timelines depend on the category of the position. According to Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi, the following order is provided:

  • category "A" — competitions may be announced from the day the law enters into force;
  • category "B" — one month after the law enters into force;
  • category "C" and positions in local self-government bodies — two months later.

The corresponding deadlines were confirmed by the Cabinet of Ministers. Before the new rules take effect, the law must go through the necessary signing and official publication procedures.

One of the main innovations is the transfer of vacancy information to the "Diia" portal. It will become a single digital window for civil service candidates and will replace the specialized portal career.gov.ua, which suspended its work.

For participation in competitions, document submission deadlines are set: from 15 to 30 days for category "A" positions and from 10 to 30 days for categories "B" and "C". The duration of the competitive selection will be up to 90 and 60 days, respectively. The winner must be notified of the results within five calendar days.

The law also provides priority appointment rights for war veterans and young specialists who have undergone internship in the relevant state body. However, this preference applies when candidates have an equal level of professional competence.

Separate changes are aimed at increasing the transparency of the selection. For candidates for senior category "A" positions, a motivation letter and mandatory video recording of the competition are provided. NADS must publish the recording of the interview with the winner within five working days.

For candidates for category "A" positions, as well as category "B" and "C" positions with elevated corruption risks, an integrity questionnaire is introduced. The relevant provisions will enter into force one year after the law takes effect.

Employees appointed during martial law without a competition will not be automatically dismissed. The law provides a transitional mechanism: the head of a state body can retain such an employee in the position without a new selection if the employee received a positive assessment based on the results of the annual performance evaluation.

Internal competitions for career advancement of current civil servants, renewal of the Commission on Senior Civil Service, and new procedures for appealing selection results are also provided.

For certain senior positions in bodies located in territories of active hostilities, the possibility of appointment without a competition remains.

The adoption of the law is linked to Ukraine receiving 137 million euros from the European Union. As reported by Minister of Communities and Territories Development and Internally Displaced Persons Vitaliy Bezghin, restoring competitive selection is one of Ukraine's commitments under the European programme Ukraine Facility.

The fulfillment of this commitment is provided for in the Plan of Ukraine for 2024–2027. The receipt of corresponding funding to the state budget depends on it, but the parliamentary vote alone does not mean automatic transfer of funds.

Open competitions for many civil service positions were suspended after the introduction of martial law in 2022 so that state bodies could appoint employees more quickly. The new law provides for a gradual return to the competitive hiring model.