Chris Johnston - Principal Lawyer, Educator & Founder of Work Visa Lawyers
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Phone: +61 8 8351 9956
Chris Johnston is an expert Immigration Lawyer, RMA, and the Founder of Work Visa Lawyers, the best immigration law firm in Adelaide. He has 20 years of experience in the migration industry. He started as a Registered Migration Agent in 2006 and opened the firm in 2011. He is a trusted guide for people, businesses, and the government across Australia.
As a leading migration lawyer, Chris also organises events for the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) and speaks with the government to help improve Australian visa rules.
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
20+ Years Teaching Migration Law & Visa Strategy
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.
Training formats include:
- CPD-accredited 120-minute webinars
- 3-hour advanced workshops with legal updates
- Original content design for major visa topics
Key topics:
- Temporary Employer Sponsored Visas - 457 Visa, 482 Visa and 494 Visa
- Permanent Employer Sponsored Visas - Temporary Residence Transition 186 Visa and Direct Entry 186 Visa
- National Innovation & Global Talent Visas - Subclass 858
- Visa Strategy & Compliance for Employers
- Migration Trends & Policy Shifts
Chris’s 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.
Legal Education CPD sessions for:
- Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) - The peak professional body for the Australian Immigration industry
- Law Society of South Australia
Credentials & Community Involvement
- Bachelor of Laws (Hons), University of New England
- Former Civil Litigation Lawyer – Precedent-Setting Case: Trevorrow v State of SA (No. 5)
- 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.
His videos demystify complex migration issues with expert yet accessible explanations.
Some of Chris’s popular videos include:
- How to calculate points for 189, 190 and 491 Visas
- How to find a sponsor
Chris is also regularly interviewed by:
- ABC
- SBS
- InDaily
- The Canberra Times
- Insider Guides
Why Clients Choose Chris as their Immigration Lawyer
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.
"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."
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.
As an industry-leading educator, migration lawyer, and practitioner, Chris Johnston is widely regarded as one of the best immigration lawyers in Adelaide and South Australia for complex visa strategies and employer compliance.
Book an appointment with Chris today and get the benefit of a lawyer who both practices and teaches Australian migration law.
