Will your Japanese girlfriend be able to work in Hawaii?

One of the concerns many couples have is whether or not their Japanese girlfriend or fiance will be able to work in Hawaii upon their arrival.   It is a valid concern of course, unless you are independently wealthy and in no need of money. Ok, we can all stop laughing now, but if you do find yourself in that position, more power to you!

In previous blogs we discussed the immigrant fiance visa process in some detail.  In this blog however we are going to address the situation that applies to your Japanese girlfriend upon her arrival and whether she will be able to work.  

Because this is not a legal advice blog, I will defer to the experts on this topic and I highly recommend that you consult an immigration attorney or check the requirements on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website if you want more in depth information.

With that being said, if your Japanese girlfriend or fiance is visiting on a tourist visa she will not be able to legally work during her stay.  The only way in which your fiance will be able to work in the United States is if she has obtained a work permit or if she has obtained a green card.  Even if she is here on a fiance visa she will still not be able to work until she gets a green card or is granted a work permit.

Assuming that your fiance does obtain the legal status to work in the United States (either by becoming your wife after having obtained the fiance visa and legal resident status, or by obtaining a work permit) there are many opportunities for her to work in Hawaii that would not be available on the mainland because of the large amount of Japanese tourists that visit the islands all year round.

Hawaii is still the number one vacation destination for Japanese citizens. As such, there is a demand in Hawaii for employees who are able to speak Japanese and understand Japanese customs.  Hawaii’s number one industry is tourism. The tourism industry entails all aspects of the hospitality and service industries: hotels and resorts, restaurants, tour operators, entertainment venues, and even government related tourism positions.

Many hotels and resorts employ Japanese speaking staff to provide service to Japanese customers.  This is an important position because it ensures that the clients are understood and are able to get the services they expect on vacation.   It is also an invaluable asset to a company to be able to provide information and obtain information from their Japanese clientele on what the customers like or dislike about their services in order for them to provide the best experiences possible.  Therefore, Japanese speaking employees are sought after in Hawaii.

There are also many retail outlets in Hawaii now that wish to employ a Japanese salesperson to cater to Japanese tourists.　In Waikiki, the shopping areas are not what they were 50 years ago.  All the high end shops and designer boutiques are in Waikiki. Waikiki shopping looks like Rodeo Drive with a beachfront view. It is very valuable to have Japanese staff available at these shops, and it is possible to find work here for the right person who is interested in high end fashion retail.

Restaurants in Hawaii also look for Japanese staff.   Many Japanese restaurants have many Japanese customers looking for a taste of home while away on vacation.  Having a Japanese staff at these restaurants is valuable to restaurant owners. Even some restaurants that do not specialize in Japanese food like to have a Japanese speaking staff member to assist their Japanese customers.

Therefore the answer to the question if whether or not your Japanese girlfriend may work in Hawaii, the answer is definitely, “Yes.” Just make sure she has the proper status to work, and there are going to be job opportunities available for her in Hawaii.

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