Despite hostility and discrimination, Chinese continued to immigrate to California to avail themselves of whatever opportunities awaited them here. When they were prevented from mining gold in the mining districts, they became merchants, laborers, or sought employment elsewhere. Among the areas where they found work were within the agricultural and fishing industries. Since most of the early Chinese immigrants were from farming areas in China, it was natural for them to become involved in agriculture in this country. Few of them were able to become independent farmers because most were not citizens and were prevented from owning land by local laws. However their contributions were extensive. They reclaimed swampland in the Sacramento delta. Many raised vegetables and fruit that they sold door to door. Others were sharecroppers or tenant farmers, who leased land and paid the landlord part of their crop. Most were migrant farm laborers. Chinese American farm labor was essential to the development of various crops that required special skill and care, such as harvesting and processing olives. Chinese immigrants also provided essential labor for development of the wine industry in California.

In communities such as Monterey, San Diego, and San Luis Obispo counties, Chinese inhabitants helped develop the industry for squid, abalone, shrimp, sturgeon and various kinds of fish. They also processed kelp and a variety of other marine products. By the late 1880s, there were over 2000 Chinese in fishing camps throughout the San Francisco Bay, Monterrey and San Diego areas. Chinese fisherman ran into antagonism from white fisherman who pressured the California legislature with passing restrictions on Chinese fishing activities, which caused hardships for the communities and eventually decline, in Chinese fishing operations. The effects of the Chinese Exclusion Act also adversely effected the population of the communities.

The Chinese also were actively involved in providing services as laundrymen, cooks, servants, and gardeners. As early as the 1850's the first Chinese laundries are established in San Francisco, and by 1870, the majority of the laundries are run by Chinese. Chinese restaurants are also quite common, servicing first the Chinese community, and later other clients as cooks learned to cook Western fare. Chinese also helped within industries such as textile mills, and shoe and cigar factories.