Expo 2030 Riyadh: Top 8 HR Advantages of a Unified Workforce Framework

Expo 2030 Riyadh will be one of the most ambitious global events ever delivered a defining milestone in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation. With 197 participating nations, a 6 million sqm site, and an anticipated 40+ million visitors, the Expo will operate at a scale that demands unprecedented workforce coordination.

While architectural innovation and national showcases will attract the world’s attention, the true success of Expo 2030 will depend on its people. Every pavilion, hospitality area, logistics operation, and cultural attraction relies on thousands of workers operating seamlessly together.

To achieve this, Expo 2030 requires a unified HR and compliance framework, a model engineered with the same level of expertise applied to major infrastructure projects, integrating engineering know-how to design, implement, and manage complex systems that support multinational teams, accelerate mobilisation, standardise documentation, and ensure consistency across hundreds of vendors and contractors.

Saudi Arabia is uniquely positioned to deliver this level of excellence, supported by its Vision 2030-driven digital labour infrastructure and national workforce transformation agenda.

The Workforce Challenge of Mega-Events

Mega-events are among the world’s most complex operational environments, with thousands of workers, diverse organisations, and fast-moving schedules that must be perfectly synchronised. The successful delivery of Expo 2030 Riyadh will depend on the critical role played by different industries such as construction, hospitality, logistics, and technologyin providing the expertise, resources, and support needed for such a large-scale event.

Large-scale international events typically face recurring workforce challenges, such as:

• Fragmented onboarding processes across multiple participants
• Inconsistent documentation and approval timelines, causing mobilisation delays
• Coordination of large volunteer programmes, requiring unified training
• Different payroll cycles and HR systems across vendors
• Varying safety and compliance standards, creating operational gaps
• Multilingual communication barriers
• Workforce shortages caused by misaligned staffing forecasts

When each participating organisation brings its own HR rules and systems, the result is duplication, inefficiency, and elevated compliance risk.

The Saudi Advantage: Vision 2030 Meets Workforce Excellence

Saudi Arabia enters Expo 2030 with a powerful head start: a digitally mature national labour ecosystem built under Vision 2030. This ecosystem enables real-time workforce visibility, transparent compliance, and streamlined HR operations.

National labour platforms powering Expo readiness:

• Qiwa: digital labour contracts, job mobility, organisational setup, workforce compliance
• GOSI: worker registration and insurance alignment
• Mudad: automated payroll verification and Wage Protection System (WPS) compliance
• HRDF: workforce development, training, and localisation support

These platforms provide unprecedented workforce clarity, enabling Expo organizers and pavilions to operate with a level of precision.

National Readiness

• Over 170,000 direct and indirect jobs projected
• Establishment of the Expo 2030 Riyadh Company (2025) by PIF
• Workforce digitisation aligned with Vision 2030 objectives

This positions Expo 2030 Riyadh to pioneer the world’s first fully integrated, fully digitised workforce governance model for a global event.

What a Unified HR Framework Looks Like

A unified HR framework brings all contractors, vendors, and national pavilions under a single system with shared standards for compliance, onboarding, training, and workforce management.

The framework consists of:

• Centralised Workforce Governance

• Unified HR policies and processes
• Standardised documentation and onboarding steps
• Consistent conduct, safety, and workforce behaviour standards

• Smart Digital Onboarding & Compliance Automation

Powered by Qiwa, GOSI, and Mudad:

• Instant contract creation
• Real-time eligibility verification
• Automated payroll and WPS compliance
• Integrated attendance and shift management

• Vendor & Subcontractor Workforce Auditing

Ensuring:

• Verified worker documentation
• Aligned payroll cycles
• Stronger enforcement of labour and safety laws
• Full transparency across the supply chain

• Scalable HR Technology Stack

• Live staffing dashboards
• Attendance visibility
• Workforce forecasting and risk alerts
• Saudisation tracking
• Vendor performance analytics

This unified system gives Expo stakeholders one accurate, real-time view of the workforce essential for smooth operations.

Benefits for Business Owners: Unlocking Growth and Efficiency

Expo 2030 Riyadh is set to be a game-changer for business owners, offering unparalleled opportunities to drive growth and operational efficiency on a global stage. As the world converges on the Expo site, companies will be at the centre of a dynamic marketplace surrounded by international businesses, investors, and innovators. The Expo is more than a global event it is a launchpad for businesses to access the rapidly expanding Saudi market and tap into new customer bases.

Top 8 HR Advantages of a Unified Workforce Framework:

Expo 2030 Riyadh is establishing a new global benchmark for workforce management. A unified workforce framework ensures operational excellence and seamless collaboration across diverse teams.

1. Rapid, Predictable Workforce Mobilisation

Standardised documentation and automated onboarding eliminate inconsistencies, synchronising pavilion staffing and operational readiness.

2. End-to-End Labour Compliance Built Into the Process

Labour governance is embedded throughout the process contract generation, worker verification, payroll alignment ensuring full compliance with Saudi labour laws.

3. Reduced HR Fragmentation and Structural Cost Efficiency

Centralised HR processes remove duplicated tasks across participants and vendors, reducing cost and increasing accuracy.

4. Fair, Accessible Workforce Infrastructure for All Pavilions

Smaller pavilions gain access to the same high-standard HR tools and compliance workflows as larger delegations.

5. Elevated Workforce Capability and Consistent Service Quality

Unified training standards improve professionalism, safety, cultural readiness, and service quality across all visitor-facing operations.

6. Seamless, Cohesive Visitor Experience Across the Expo Site

A unified workforce model ensures consistent service excellence in hospitality, logistics, mobility, and security.

7. Real-Time Workforce Intelligence for Agile Decision-Making

Integrated dashboards provide live insights on attendance, staffing gaps, compliance alerts, and performance metrics.

8. A Global Benchmark for Digitised Workforce Governance

Expo 2030 Riyadh can become the first world expo to fully integrate digital contracts, smart compliance systems, unified payroll oversight, and real-time workforce visibility.For a deeper breakdown of Expo workforce requirements, you can also download our Expo 2030 Riyadh Workforce Guidebook here: Download Guidebook

The Impact of Expo 2030 on HR and the Workforce

Expo 2030 Riyadh will reshape HR practices across Saudi Arabia, accelerating the adoption of digital systems, strengthening compliance culture, improving multicultural workforce management, and increasing demand for HR specialists in workforce planning and onboarding.

This legacy will extend beyond the event, strengthening the Kingdom’s competitiveness in global event hosting and workforce readiness. As a catalyst for Vision 2030, Expo 2030 Riyadh will help transform Saudi Arabia’s economy by driving innovation, boosting tourism, and supporting economic diversification.

Build Your Expo 2030 Workforce with Confidence

From national pavilions and hospitality zones to mobility, logistics, and cultural experiences every moment of Expo 2030 Riyadh will rely on the teams running it.

With 18+ years of GCC expertise and deep experience across government, mega-events, and large-scale employer operations, TASC KSA helps organisations:

• Hire Saudi and international talent quickly and legally
• Deploy contract and permanent teams with speed and consistency
• Stay fully compliant with MHRSD, GOSI, WPS, and Expo workforce standards

Let’s get your organization Expo-ready.
Speak with our team today to build a compliant, agile, and future-focused workforce strategy for Expo 2030 Riyadh.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why does Expo 2030 need a unified HR framework?
To prevent delays, inefficiencies, and compliance gaps across nearly 200 nations and hundreds of vendors.

2. How do Saudi labour platforms support Expo participants?
Platforms like Qiwa, GOSI, Mudad, and HRDF provide real-time visibility into contracts, payroll, compliance, and workforce movements.

3. Do smaller pavilions benefit from this model?
Yes they gain equal access to centralised HR systems, reducing reliance on internal HR teams.

4. How does a unified HR framework minimise risk?
By standardising documentation, safety practices, payroll cycles, and workforce governance.

5. What are the biggest workforce risks Expo must manage?
Non-compliant vendors, inconsistent training, documentation delays, and fragmented hiring practices.

6. How can TASC support Expo 2030 stakeholders?
Through end-to-end workforce solutions including recruitment, mobilisation, compliance auditing, payroll, and on-site HR project management.