; (4) the term rural or remote area means an area within the United States that is not within an area defined and designated as an urbanized area by the Bureau of the Census in the most recently completed decennial census; and (5) the term Secretary means the Secretary of Homeland Security. (b) Demonstration of recruitment and retention difficulties in rural or remote areas (1) In general For purposes of subsections (c) and (d), the Secretary shall determine, for a rural or remote area, whether there is— (A) a critical hiring need in the area; and (B) a direct relationship between— (i) the rural or remote nature of the area; and (ii) difficulty in the recruitment and retention of CBP employees in the area. (2) Factors To inform the determination of a direct relationship under paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary may consider evidence— (A) that the Secretary— (i) is unable to efficiently and effectively recruit individuals for positions as CBP employees, which may be demonstrated with various types of evidence, including— (I) evidence that multiple positions have been continuously vacant for significantly longer than the national average period for which similar positions in U.S. Customs and Border Protection are vacant; and (II) recruitment studies that demonstrate the inability of the Secretary to efficiently and effectively recruit CBP employees for positions in the area; or (ii) experiences a consistent inability to retain CBP employees that negatively impacts agency operations at a local or regional level; or (B) of any other inability, directly related to recruitment or retention difficulties, that the Secretary determines sufficient. (c) Direct hire authority; recruitment and relocation bonuses; retention bonuses (1) Direct hire authority (A) In general The Secretary may appoint, without regard to any provision of sections 3309 through 3319, candidates to positions in the competitive service as CBP employees, in a rural or remote area, if the Secretary— (i) determines that— (I) there is a critical hiring need