E-7 Hospitality, Tourism & Sports Manager (1521) Visa Guide – D-10 to E-7 Change Process 2025

 This article reflects the latest immigration guidelines as of December 2025.

If you received a job offer to oversee hotel operations, tourism businesses, leisure facilities, or sports organizations in Korea, you may wonder whether you qualify for an E-7 visa.

Hospitality, Tourism & Sports Manager (1521) refers to professionals responsible for managing business operations and revenue strategy at an organizational level. Immigration authorities evaluate managerial authority rather than service-level experience.

Here is what foreign job seekers must understand.

1. Scope of the Position

1. Overall management of hotels, resorts, travel agencies, or sports facilities
2. Revenue and profitability strategy
3. Marketing and customer acquisition planning
4. Workforce and service quality management
5. Partnership and contract supervision

Front desk staff, tour guides, or coaches do not qualify.

2. Applicable Visa Category

1. E-7 (Professional / Specific Activities)
2. Change of status: D-10 → E-7
3. Advantage for global tourism experience

Managerial responsibility is strictly reviewed.

3. Core Approval Requirements (Checklist)

Category	Requirement	Check
Education	Degree in hospitality, tourism, sports management or equivalent experience	☐
Experience	Proven operational management experience	☐
Position Level	Organization-level authority	☐
Salary	Generally above national income benchmark	☐
Company Status	Legally operating entity with employment insurance	☐
Necessity	Clear justification for hiring foreign manager	☐

4. E-7 Hiring & Change of Status Process

Step	Procedure	Key Point
01	Job offer confirmed	Official hiring decision
02	Employment contract signed	Salary & job scope clearly stated
03	Job description prepared	Detailed managerial responsibilities
04	Organizational authority defined	Clear operational management scope
05	Salary review	Meets GNI benchmark
06	Corporate eligibility check	Financial stability & insurance
07	Justification prepared	Strategic necessity explained
08	Documents prepared	Degree & experience verification
09	Change of status applied	D-10 → E-7 submission
10	Immigration review	Approval & ARC update

Practical Tips

• Highlight revenue strategy and international tourism targets.
• Provide data on foreign customer ratio if available.
• Ensure salary reflects management level.
• Show measurable KPIs under your responsibility.

Final Advice

E-7 Hospitality, Tourism & Sports Manager (1521) is legally possible, but approval depends on demonstrating strategic business leadership.

Before applying, confirm:

• Scope of authority
• Salary level
• Company scale
• Strategic necessity

WorkOn VisaHub provides:

Eligibility assessment → Job description strategy → Visa change support

Start preparing today.

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