Chris Johnston
Principal Lawyer, Educator & Founder
- English
- Email: chris@workvisalawyers.com.au
- Phone: +61 8 8351 9956
Whether you are a business needing help with work visas, a person applying to live in Australia forever, or a professional looking for training, Chris makes hard laws easy to understand. Chris does not just work in migration law, he teaches it.
This means he knows about all the newest visa changes before most people do. He leads a trusted team at Work Visa Lawyers, the best immigration law agency in South Australia, giving clients all over Australia the clearest and safest path to visa success.
Key Practice Areas
- National Innovation Visas (858) (formerly the Global Talent Visa Subclass 858)
- Employer-Sponsored Visas including the Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (formerly the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Subclass 482), ENS Visa (Subclass 186), and SESR Visa (Subclass 494)
- DAMA & Labour Agreements for businesses
- Skilled Migration Visas (189, 190, 491), Partner Visas, and Australian Citizenship
- Visa Appeals, including the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) (formerly the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or AAT), FCC reviews, and complex character/cancellation matters
- Student & Graduate Visas
- Business & Investor Visas
- Character Assessments, Criminal Records, Visa Cancellations & Deportation
About
With two decades of experience in Australian immigration law, Chris Johnston first began working as a Registered Migration Agent (RMA) in the migration industry in 2006. Chris is a trusted advisor to individuals, businesses, and government clients. Since founding Work Visa Lawyers in 2011, Chris has helped thousands of clients secure employer-sponsored, skilled, partner, and innovation visas.
But Chris is more than a lawyer. He’s also a leading educator in Australian migration law.
Chris has delivered hundreds of legal education sessions with the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) between 2021 and 2025 alone—consistently presenting across evolving visa categories, legislative changes, and employer compliance. His presentations are frequently updated to reflect real-time policy changes and regulatory reform, making him one of the most up-to-date trainers in the industry.
He is also one of Australia’s original immigration content creators, with 150,000+ followers across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. His videos demystify complex migration issues with expert yet accessible explanations.
Experience and Achievements
“I don’t just practise migration law — I teach it. That means I stay ahead of every change, policy reform, and visa update to give clients and professionals the clearest path forward.”
Credentials
- Bachelor of Laws (Hons), University of New England
- Former Civil Litigation Lawyer – Precedent-Setting Case: Trevorrow v State of SA (No. 5)
Memberships & Community Involvement
- Member – Law Society of South Australia
- Member & South Australia President – Migration Institute of Australia (MIA)
- Regular speaker for legal CPD programs and media contributor on migration topics
Media & Content Leadership
Chris is one of Australia’s original immigration content creators, with 150,000+ followers across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. He is also regularly interviewed by ABC, SBS, InDaily, The Canberra Times, and Insider Guides.
His videos demystify complex migration issues with expert yet accessible explanations. Chris is also regularly interviewed by: ABC, SBS, InDaily, The Canberra Times, and Insider Guides
Happy Clients
Hear from our clients happy experiences
Family PR Success
'It has been a long journey, first securing the 491 visa, and today, finally receiving our PR as a family of four. Luke and his team were instrumental in helping us achieve this life-changing goal. They were professional, helpful, clear, and friendly …
Marjan Janžekovič
Expert Guidance Approved
'I had a fantastic experience working with Work Visa lawyers. A special thanks to Suman who from the very beginning, was incredibly professional, transparent, and responsive. They guided me through every step of the process, patiently answering all …
Zaide Cara
Confident Visa Journey
I’ve been working with Jonathan since 2022 on my visa application, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. The entire team were professional, responsive, and always took the time to answer all my questions clearly. I felt supported and …
Rosangela Rosales
Relocation Guided Smoothly
'From start to finish, Work Visa Lawyers were highly professional and genuinely attentive to our situation. After our initial consultation with Chris, we relocated from Sydney to Adelaide and began the process. Every question we had was answered …
Domen Ucakar
Visa Granted, Great Service
'Really professional high quality service. Our process to get our visa granted was perfectly and clearly guided. Great service. Highly recommended!'
Luis Carlos Cardenas Ibañez
Reunited Family, Positive Result
'Trang and the team have been exceptional from the first moment we engaged their services. Our case was challenging and after changing migration lawyers for various reasons, engaging Work Visa Lawyers was the best decision and I only wish we had …
Melissa Rapassanis
Responsive, Honest Guidance
'We would like to sincerely thank Work Visa Lawyers for guiding us in choosing the right PR pathway. A special thanks to Chris, who helped change our course and guided us toward securing our PR, and to Wendy, who handled our application. She is …
Gulani Senthuran
Exceptional, Supportive Expertise
I am incredibly grateful for the exceptional service I received from Luke throughout my visa application process. The expertise, attention to detail, and unwavering support made all the difference. From our initial consultation to the final approval, …
Astrid Osorio Jaramillo
Family PR Success
'It has been a long journey, first securing the 491 visa, and today, finally receiving our PR as a family of four. Luke and his team were instrumental in helping us achieve this life-changing goal. They were professional, helpful, clear, and friendly …
Marjan Janžekovič
Expert Guidance Approved
'I had a fantastic experience working with Work Visa lawyers. A special thanks to Suman who from the very beginning, was incredibly professional, transparent, and responsive. They guided me through every step of the process, patiently answering all …
Zaide Cara
Confident Visa Journey
I’ve been working with Jonathan since 2022 on my visa application, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. The entire team were professional, responsive, and always took the time to answer all my questions clearly. I felt supported and …
Rosangela Rosales
Relocation Guided Smoothly
'From start to finish, Work Visa Lawyers were highly professional and genuinely attentive to our situation. After our initial consultation with Chris, we relocated from Sydney to Adelaide and began the process. Every question we had was answered …
Domen Ucakar
Visa Granted, Great Service
'Really professional high quality service. Our process to get our visa granted was perfectly and clearly guided. Great service. Highly recommended!'
Luis Carlos Cardenas Ibañez
Reunited Family, Positive Result
'Trang and the team have been exceptional from the first moment we engaged their services. Our case was challenging and after changing migration lawyers for various reasons, engaging Work Visa Lawyers was the best decision and I only wish we had …
Melissa Rapassanis
Responsive, Honest Guidance
'We would like to sincerely thank Work Visa Lawyers for guiding us in choosing the right PR pathway. A special thanks to Chris, who helped change our course and guided us toward securing our PR, and to Wendy, who handled our application. She is …
Gulani Senthuran
Exceptional, Supportive Expertise
I am incredibly grateful for the exceptional service I received from Luke throughout my visa application process. The expertise, attention to detail, and unwavering support made all the difference. From our initial consultation to the final approval, …
Astrid Osorio Jaramillo
My Migration Story - Testimonials from clients
by Australian Immigration - Work Visa Lawyers
This is a collection of Work Visa Lawyers videos that show the wide range of knowledge, experience, offers and services our Migration lawyers and registered Migration Agents bring to our clients.
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