Frequently Ask Question:
Q: I would like to join IHS program, what do I have to do?
A: You can either apply with our local recruiting partner or apply directly with us.
We strongly suggest you to contact our partner in your home country to obtain
local support. Either way, it's highly recommend you to study our website throughly
and email us or our local partner if you have any question.
If you wish to apply directly with us, please email us for details with all question you
may have and we will respond to you within 48 hours.
(If you are International Recruiting Agency and wish to be our partner,
please email to info@ihservicesllc.com for more details.)
Q: What if I do not get a US visa, will I get any refund?
A: If you are applying in our program through the International Recruiting Agency,
the refund will be processed through your agency. You will have to contact them
directly according to their refund policy.
If you apply directly, only placement fees plus all bank fees are non refundable.
Q: I may not know exactly by the time I apply to your program when I will
finish my final exam, what do I have to do?
A: We are very flexible on your arrival date as long as you work at the minimum of 3
months and maximum of 4 months. However, the exact arrival date is required 2
weeks in advance before the program start date on your job offer in order to
prepare the job and the housing ready for you when you arrive.
Q: How do I get to the housing on my first day of arrival? If my flight arrives
at middle of the night or early morning, what do I have to do?
A: As long as you email your arrival flight information 2 weeks before your arrival
date to info@ihservicesllc.com and we confirm your arrival via e-mail, IHS will meet
you at the airport and take you to the housing or hostel. The pick up fee is
$10/person(From HNL airport to Waikiki hostel only) . For arrival procedure, please
see additional information sheet.
IMPORTANT: If you arrive at Honolulu International Airport without our pick up,
your housing and job placement will be automatically CANCELLED without any
refund unless you receive permission in writing from IHS. Any further question,
please write us an e-mail to info@ihservicesllc.com
Q: How do I get a Social Security Number?
A: You need to register your visa status with your visa sponsor the first night of
your arrival and request for confirmation from them via email. We will take you to
Social Security Office within 10 business days to apply. Your card shall arrive to
our office within 2-4 weeks. If not, you need to email to your sponsor and confirm
SEVIS registration status again. Then email to support@ihservicesllc.com and let
us know. We will then take you to the Social Security Office as soon as we can to
verify your visa status. We will assist you to get your number and card at no cost.
Q: Why do I need Social Security Number as soon as possible?
A: It’s required by US laws that all employees must have Social Security Number
before start working. However, with your J1 visa status, you can begin to work with
proof of submitted application from Social Security Administration. Most second job
employer will not accept you until you obtain your Social Security Card. So it is
recommended here that you should do everything you can to get it as soon as
possible.
Q: Do I need local ID card?
A: It’s not required by our program. However, if you can apply for one, it will be very
useful document for you. There may be a charge from Government around $15 for
applying (subject to change without notice).
Q: I am a student. Do I need to open bank account? How?
A: Yes, we require all students to open US bank account. We run all payrolls
through direct deposit system. It’s safe, convenient and faster way to receive your
earning. We will bring you to open bank account with a local bank in Hawaii within 3
business days after you arrive. You shall be able to withdraw your money from any
ATM machine in the world which has logo "NYCE" or "PLUS" or "STAR" on those
machine.
Q: Do I need to pay housing deposit in advance? If yes, how much?
A: Yes, housing deposit is required from all students at least 30 days before your
arrival date at $400/ person.
Q: If I stay in housing for 80 days, do I have to pay for monthly rent in full?
A: Yes, all participants are required to sign minimum lease of 3 months term.
Q: Is housing deposit refundable?
A: Yes, it is refundable minus damages and cleaning fee.
Q: If I don’t like the job that is assigned to me, what is the best way I
should do?
A: This is absolutely worst-case scenario and we will do our best not to let it
happen. You will need to email and explain your reason to info@ihservicesllc.com.
According to the contract, if you leave your job without our permission in writing,
you will need to move out from the housing immediately. You will lose your housing
deposit and still be responsible for 3 months lease term. We also obligate to report
your employment status to your visa sponsor as well. Once you lose your
employment status with us, your visa sponsor may terminate you from the program
anytime.
The best solution is to contact us immediately whether through phone or email to
explain your reason. We will try to find you another job. However, this is not
guaranteed. Mostly, we can find you some other job.
If we can’t find anything else for you or we can find job for you but you still don’t
want to take it, we will have no choice but to terminate you from IHS employee
status and you may have to go back to your home country within 24 hours.
Q: I am a student, what if I get fired from my job but I didn’t do anything
wrong?
A: This is another case we wish it will not happen to you. However, if it happens,
IHS will carefully review the situation, and in many cases we will give you another
job. If we find out that you cause the termination, we may not find you another job.
Q: Will I have to sign the contract with IHS after my arriving?
A: No, because you already sign IHS job offer, Condition of employment and
Additional Information Sheet in your home country before we accept you in our
program. However, you will need to complete the form required by the US
government and house rules. For specific information, please read in the welcome
letter.
Q: Do you have minimum hours guaranteed per week?
A: Average hours is 28 to 35 hours a week. However, most student will be working
at least 35 hours/ week. If you would like to work the second job, please let us know
and we will assist you to find the second job. Please keep in mind that it may take
at least one week or longer to find you the second job.
Q: When can I expect to receive my earning?
A: Your earning will be processed every 10th and 26th of each month. Please keep
in mind that 1st earning may take up to 4 weeks after your arrival date so be sure
to bring enough money to support yourself before you get 1st month earning.
Q: Do you have any idea how much I will spend on my living per week?
A: Usually (the accommodation is not included) you shall spend from $25 to
$50/week or more depending on your lifestyle.
Q: Can I choose my own place of living other than that offered to me by
IHS?
A: Due to the fact that we will assign position to you in IHS orientation upon arrival,
so it will create difficulty for you to find your own housing. We strongly recommend
you to use our housing since it's the most convenient and affordable cost.
Q: What is the difference between students and local employees? Why do
they get pay more?
A: All IHS employee will get exactly the same pay rate with local employee or
directly from your host site.
Q: Who is my employer? IHS or host site?
A: IHS will be your employer.
Q: What happens if I decide to quit my IHS job so that I can work with
another company?
A: We have no choice but to terminate you from IHS active employee status also
we have to update with your sponsor as well. Your visa may be terminated and you
must return to your home country immediately. Once we terminated you from active
status, you are not allow to live/stay/enter into IHS housing unit.
Q: Can I make lots of money from this program?
A: Our Cultural Exchange Work and Travel or Training Program was designed to
give you the opportunity to earn enough money to cover all of your agency fees,
flight costs and to provide you with additional money to take home with you at the
end of the Program.
Most of our participants make average gross at the amount of US$4,000. It varies
from US$ 2,500 to US$ 8,000.
Some of the students make almost US$ 10,000 depending on many factors. The
amount you save to take home may be more or less, depending on
• How many actual hours you work.
• How much money you spend while you are here.
• How much bonus you earn based on your job performance.
Most participants in this Program discover that their managers provide more hours
to IHS employees who do the best job and have the most positive, friendly and
cooperative attitude. Students, who understand this and frequently speak to their
managers asking for additional tasks, will be most likely to work additional or
overtime hours.
We have found that our employees who earn less are those who rarely smile, do
not seem to appreciate their jobs, do not always show up for work on-time, and do
not complete their job tasks in a correct or timely manner.
Q: I joined Work and Travel program last year and I really enjoyed it, can I
return to the U.S. to work with IHS again in the future?
A: Yes, we always love to have returnees. Work and Travel program is only
designed for university students. If you are a full time university student, yes you
can come back and apply in our program. However, there are some minor
conditions in which you may have to check with the US embassy in your country
before participating such as your GPA and an update restriction in your home
country. We would like to have students who are able to fulfill the terms of the Job
Agreement and the J-1 visa during their visit.
Upon completion of your Program as a returnee, we will provide you with a
Certificate which you can use to either return to work for us at the same or different
hotel, or to use as a reference to work for another U.S. company in another
location.
We also provide a 12-18 months Internship Training Program for graduate
students in the Hospitality, Financing, Marketing, Business Management,
Accounting, Food and Beverage and Culinary fields. Training program requires a
higher level of participants’ qualification. They must have higher responsibility,
level of English skill. As a result, the compensation will be higher than the
temporary Work and Travel jobs.
Also, students will have a special opportunity to work directly for IHS which will only
be offered to our best Work and Travel participants. So the suggestion here is to
do your best while you are in the program and we will offer this position when you
finish your program.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:
In most cases, your J-1 Agency in your country will assist and coordinate the
necessary flight and travel arrangements you will need to arrive at your job site on-
time. Be aware that you must arrive there within 3 days of the "Job Start Date"
indicated on your job offer otherwise your job may be canceled.
Please keep in mind that it's your responsibility to send us the arrival flight
information at least 2 weeks before you arrive in Hawaii or your job placement may
be canceled.
TRAVEL TIPS:
Check your flight schedule and inform your travel agency that you DO NOT want to
arrive on Saturday and try to avoid holiday as well (Christmas, New Years,
Thanksgiving, Easter, Etc). Most of IHS are off work and may not be available for
immediate help if you need special assistance on the weekends.
Try to schedule your arrival a few days before you are scheduled to start your job,
so that you have enough time for any travel delays. This additional time will also
give you a chance to walk around the area of your job location, learn about the bus
schedules and to meet your roommates and managers before you actually start
working.
Many students have difficulty adjusting to the food in the U.S. To help with this
adjustment, you might want to pack a small amount of food that you like from home.
However, closely studying the rule and regulation of the US custom is advised.
IMPORTANT:
For most participants, the trip from your home country to your job site in Hawaii will
be a long one. There can be long waits at airports and bus stations until you finally
reach your job site destination.
Our suggestion is for you to be sure to pack your toothbrush, deodorant,
comb/brush and etc in an easily accessible location in your carry-on so that you
can "clean up" before arriving at your housing and job location.
Often, participants meet their manager when they first arrive since some of our
housing is located on-site at the hotel where they will be working. In the past, we
have had managers who complained that participants arrived at the Front Desk of
their hotel with inappropriate clothing and bad smelling from too many hours of
flying.
Please take a moment to visit the restroom in the airplane to "clean up" prior to
proceed to your housing/job location. In the U.S., it is often considered "offensive"
if you do not use deodorant, so we highly recommend that you use it before arrival
and for the entire period of your program.
Those tips will allow you to make a good "first impression" on your manager, which
is very important to being further scheduled for the maximum amount of work hours
during your program.
To be noted here, participants are not allowed to show up at any of our
host sites once they arrive without IHS in attendance.
Q: I would like to join IHS program, what do I have to do?
A: You can either apply with our local recruiting partner or apply directly with us.
We strongly suggest you to contact our partner in your home country to obtain
local support. Either way, it's highly recommend you to study our website throughly
and email us or our local partner if you have any question.
If you wish to apply directly with us, please email us for details with all question you
may have and we will respond to you within 48 hours.
(If you are International Recruiting Agency and wish to be our partner,
please email to info@ihservicesllc.com for more details.)
Q: What if I do not get a US visa, will I get any refund?
A: If you are applying in our program through the International Recruiting Agency,
the refund will be processed through your agency. You will have to contact them
directly according to their refund policy.
If you apply directly, only placement fees plus all bank fees are non refundable.
Q: I may not know exactly by the time I apply to your program when I will
finish my final exam, what do I have to do?
A: We are very flexible on your arrival date as long as you work at the minimum of 3
months and maximum of 4 months. However, the exact arrival date is required 2
weeks in advance before the program start date on your job offer in order to
prepare the job and the housing ready for you when you arrive.
Q: How do I get to the housing on my first day of arrival? If my flight arrives
at middle of the night or early morning, what do I have to do?
A: As long as you email your arrival flight information 2 weeks before your arrival
date to info@ihservicesllc.com and we confirm your arrival via e-mail, IHS will meet
you at the airport and take you to the housing or hostel. The pick up fee is
$10/person(From HNL airport to Waikiki hostel only) . For arrival procedure, please
see additional information sheet.
IMPORTANT: If you arrive at Honolulu International Airport without our pick up,
your housing and job placement will be automatically CANCELLED without any
refund unless you receive permission in writing from IHS. Any further question,
please write us an e-mail to info@ihservicesllc.com
Q: How do I get a Social Security Number?
A: You need to register your visa status with your visa sponsor the first night of
your arrival and request for confirmation from them via email. We will take you to
Social Security Office within 10 business days to apply. Your card shall arrive to
our office within 2-4 weeks. If not, you need to email to your sponsor and confirm
SEVIS registration status again. Then email to support@ihservicesllc.com and let
us know. We will then take you to the Social Security Office as soon as we can to
verify your visa status. We will assist you to get your number and card at no cost.
Q: Why do I need Social Security Number as soon as possible?
A: It’s required by US laws that all employees must have Social Security Number
before start working. However, with your J1 visa status, you can begin to work with
proof of submitted application from Social Security Administration. Most second job
employer will not accept you until you obtain your Social Security Card. So it is
recommended here that you should do everything you can to get it as soon as
possible.
Q: Do I need local ID card?
A: It’s not required by our program. However, if you can apply for one, it will be very
useful document for you. There may be a charge from Government around $15 for
applying (subject to change without notice).
Q: I am a student. Do I need to open bank account? How?
A: Yes, we require all students to open US bank account. We run all payrolls
through direct deposit system. It’s safe, convenient and faster way to receive your
earning. We will bring you to open bank account with a local bank in Hawaii within 3
business days after you arrive. You shall be able to withdraw your money from any
ATM machine in the world which has logo "NYCE" or "PLUS" or "STAR" on those
machine.
Q: Do I need to pay housing deposit in advance? If yes, how much?
A: Yes, housing deposit is required from all students at least 30 days before your
arrival date at $400/ person.
Q: If I stay in housing for 80 days, do I have to pay for monthly rent in full?
A: Yes, all participants are required to sign minimum lease of 3 months term.
Q: Is housing deposit refundable?
A: Yes, it is refundable minus damages and cleaning fee.
Q: If I don’t like the job that is assigned to me, what is the best way I
should do?
A: This is absolutely worst-case scenario and we will do our best not to let it
happen. You will need to email and explain your reason to info@ihservicesllc.com.
According to the contract, if you leave your job without our permission in writing,
you will need to move out from the housing immediately. You will lose your housing
deposit and still be responsible for 3 months lease term. We also obligate to report
your employment status to your visa sponsor as well. Once you lose your
employment status with us, your visa sponsor may terminate you from the program
anytime.
The best solution is to contact us immediately whether through phone or email to
explain your reason. We will try to find you another job. However, this is not
guaranteed. Mostly, we can find you some other job.
If we can’t find anything else for you or we can find job for you but you still don’t
want to take it, we will have no choice but to terminate you from IHS employee
status and you may have to go back to your home country within 24 hours.
Q: I am a student, what if I get fired from my job but I didn’t do anything
wrong?
A: This is another case we wish it will not happen to you. However, if it happens,
IHS will carefully review the situation, and in many cases we will give you another
job. If we find out that you cause the termination, we may not find you another job.
Q: Will I have to sign the contract with IHS after my arriving?
A: No, because you already sign IHS job offer, Condition of employment and
Additional Information Sheet in your home country before we accept you in our
program. However, you will need to complete the form required by the US
government and house rules. For specific information, please read in the welcome
letter.
Q: Do you have minimum hours guaranteed per week?
A: Average hours is 28 to 35 hours a week. However, most student will be working
at least 35 hours/ week. If you would like to work the second job, please let us know
and we will assist you to find the second job. Please keep in mind that it may take
at least one week or longer to find you the second job.
Q: When can I expect to receive my earning?
A: Your earning will be processed every 10th and 26th of each month. Please keep
in mind that 1st earning may take up to 4 weeks after your arrival date so be sure
to bring enough money to support yourself before you get 1st month earning.
Q: Do you have any idea how much I will spend on my living per week?
A: Usually (the accommodation is not included) you shall spend from $25 to
$50/week or more depending on your lifestyle.
Q: Can I choose my own place of living other than that offered to me by
IHS?
A: Due to the fact that we will assign position to you in IHS orientation upon arrival,
so it will create difficulty for you to find your own housing. We strongly recommend
you to use our housing since it's the most convenient and affordable cost.
Q: What is the difference between students and local employees? Why do
they get pay more?
A: All IHS employee will get exactly the same pay rate with local employee or
directly from your host site.
Q: Who is my employer? IHS or host site?
A: IHS will be your employer.
Q: What happens if I decide to quit my IHS job so that I can work with
another company?
A: We have no choice but to terminate you from IHS active employee status also
we have to update with your sponsor as well. Your visa may be terminated and you
must return to your home country immediately. Once we terminated you from active
status, you are not allow to live/stay/enter into IHS housing unit.
Q: Can I make lots of money from this program?
A: Our Cultural Exchange Work and Travel or Training Program was designed to
give you the opportunity to earn enough money to cover all of your agency fees,
flight costs and to provide you with additional money to take home with you at the
end of the Program.
Most of our participants make average gross at the amount of US$4,000. It varies
from US$ 2,500 to US$ 8,000.
Some of the students make almost US$ 10,000 depending on many factors. The
amount you save to take home may be more or less, depending on
• How many actual hours you work.
• How much money you spend while you are here.
• How much bonus you earn based on your job performance.
Most participants in this Program discover that their managers provide more hours
to IHS employees who do the best job and have the most positive, friendly and
cooperative attitude. Students, who understand this and frequently speak to their
managers asking for additional tasks, will be most likely to work additional or
overtime hours.
We have found that our employees who earn less are those who rarely smile, do
not seem to appreciate their jobs, do not always show up for work on-time, and do
not complete their job tasks in a correct or timely manner.
Q: I joined Work and Travel program last year and I really enjoyed it, can I
return to the U.S. to work with IHS again in the future?
A: Yes, we always love to have returnees. Work and Travel program is only
designed for university students. If you are a full time university student, yes you
can come back and apply in our program. However, there are some minor
conditions in which you may have to check with the US embassy in your country
before participating such as your GPA and an update restriction in your home
country. We would like to have students who are able to fulfill the terms of the Job
Agreement and the J-1 visa during their visit.
Upon completion of your Program as a returnee, we will provide you with a
Certificate which you can use to either return to work for us at the same or different
hotel, or to use as a reference to work for another U.S. company in another
location.
We also provide a 12-18 months Internship Training Program for graduate
students in the Hospitality, Financing, Marketing, Business Management,
Accounting, Food and Beverage and Culinary fields. Training program requires a
higher level of participants’ qualification. They must have higher responsibility,
level of English skill. As a result, the compensation will be higher than the
temporary Work and Travel jobs.
Also, students will have a special opportunity to work directly for IHS which will only
be offered to our best Work and Travel participants. So the suggestion here is to
do your best while you are in the program and we will offer this position when you
finish your program.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:
In most cases, your J-1 Agency in your country will assist and coordinate the
necessary flight and travel arrangements you will need to arrive at your job site on-
time. Be aware that you must arrive there within 3 days of the "Job Start Date"
indicated on your job offer otherwise your job may be canceled.
Please keep in mind that it's your responsibility to send us the arrival flight
information at least 2 weeks before you arrive in Hawaii or your job placement may
be canceled.
TRAVEL TIPS:
Check your flight schedule and inform your travel agency that you DO NOT want to
arrive on Saturday and try to avoid holiday as well (Christmas, New Years,
Thanksgiving, Easter, Etc). Most of IHS are off work and may not be available for
immediate help if you need special assistance on the weekends.
Try to schedule your arrival a few days before you are scheduled to start your job,
so that you have enough time for any travel delays. This additional time will also
give you a chance to walk around the area of your job location, learn about the bus
schedules and to meet your roommates and managers before you actually start
working.
Many students have difficulty adjusting to the food in the U.S. To help with this
adjustment, you might want to pack a small amount of food that you like from home.
However, closely studying the rule and regulation of the US custom is advised.
IMPORTANT:
For most participants, the trip from your home country to your job site in Hawaii will
be a long one. There can be long waits at airports and bus stations until you finally
reach your job site destination.
Our suggestion is for you to be sure to pack your toothbrush, deodorant,
comb/brush and etc in an easily accessible location in your carry-on so that you
can "clean up" before arriving at your housing and job location.
Often, participants meet their manager when they first arrive since some of our
housing is located on-site at the hotel where they will be working. In the past, we
have had managers who complained that participants arrived at the Front Desk of
their hotel with inappropriate clothing and bad smelling from too many hours of
flying.
Please take a moment to visit the restroom in the airplane to "clean up" prior to
proceed to your housing/job location. In the U.S., it is often considered "offensive"
if you do not use deodorant, so we highly recommend that you use it before arrival
and for the entire period of your program.
Those tips will allow you to make a good "first impression" on your manager, which
is very important to being further scheduled for the maximum amount of work hours
during your program.
To be noted here, participants are not allowed to show up at any of our
host sites once they arrive without IHS in attendance.
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