Factors Influencing the Recruitment of Foreign Staff in the Saudi Arabian Resorts

This study examines the factors influencing employers’ hiring decisions in the Saudi Arabian tourism sector, with a focus on the country's increasing reliance on foreign workers in its efforts to localize its workforce under Vision 2030. Based on rational choice theory (RCT) and factors influencing hospitality hiring decisions (FIFRHD), this study examines a research model of employee hiring characteristics. Hiring methods act as mediators and employer characteristics as moderators. Using a quantitative approach and PLS-SEM analysis on data collected from 325 management respondents in the HR department, the results indicate that employee characteristics and behaviors have a significant impact on hiring methods and hiring decisions. Hiring methods mediate the relationship, while employer characteristics moderate the relationship between hiring methods and hiring decisions. This study extends the RCT and FIHRHD framework by contextualizing them in the Saudi Arabian tourism sector, offering both theoretical and practical insights for policy and management. These findings support Vision 2030 by suggesting that a competency-based recruitment and behavioral assessment framework can enhance workforce localization and improve HR decision-making in the Saudi hospitality industry.