A young man’s desperate leap from a moving vehicle has exposed a dark underbelly of exploitation and potential criminality in Australia’s migrant worker system. But here’s where it gets even more shocking: the death of 21-year-old Filipino worker Jerwin Royupa has now been referred to federal police, raising questions about forced labor and systemic failures. This tragic case, which unfolded in New South Wales in 2019, has sparked a three-day inquest that delved into the harrowing circumstances surrounding Royupa’s final weeks in Australia.
Deputy State Coroner Rebecca Hosking delivered her findings on Friday, revealing that Royupa, a trainee at a winery, was subjected to “exploitative” and “potentially criminal” treatment during his brief stay in the country. Royupa died in March 2019 after jumping or falling from a van driven by his training sponsor, whose identity remains protected for legal reasons. In the days leading up to his death, Royupa grew increasingly fearful of this sponsor, according to Hosking’s investigation.
And this is the part most people miss: on the day of the incident, Royupa voluntarily exited the van after his sponsor threatened to take him to the airport or police. As he lay unconscious on the roadside, the sponsor failed to call an ambulance immediately, made disparaging remarks to a paramedic, and left the scene despite being instructed to stay. Hosking described the sponsor’s behavior as “deplorable.” Royupa succumbed to his injuries the following day at Royal Melbourne Hospital, with complications from multiple blunt force trauma.
While Hosking could not definitively determine why Royupa left the vehicle, she did not rule out the possibility of a threat. The sponsor, it turns out, would have been financially liable if Royupa had absconded. Adding to the exploitation, Royupa’s passport was withheld during his stay at the winery.
Royupa, an agriculture graduate from the Philippines, had arrived in Australia just five weeks before his death on a temporary subclass 407 visa, intended for workplace-based training. However, the coroner found that he was exclusively performing manual labor, working up to 60 hours a week in excessive heat without proper clothing or sun protection. This starkly contradicted the “training schedule” he had been promised.
Here’s where it gets controversial: Royupa was told he would receive a “generous allowance,” but Hosking deemed it “wholly inadequate.” Worse, he was never paid during his time in Australia, as the sponsor claimed his salary would be deferred for six months. His proposed monthly base salary was a mere $134.92, despite working 10 hours a day, six days a week.
Hosking also criticized the Department of Home Affairs for approving Royupa’s visa, noting that subsequent documentation from the same sponsor was rejected due to concerns about the legitimacy of the training opportunity. This raises troubling questions about the department’s vetting process.
The inquest, held in December 2024, marked the first time an Australian court examined forced labor concerns since modern slavery offenses were criminalized in 2013. Hosking issued six recommendations, including referring the case to the Australian Federal Police for further investigation. She also urged the Home Affairs Minister to conduct an internal review of the department’s role in approving exploitative 407 visas and recommended mandatory modern slavery training for NSW police officers in high-risk areas.
A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs expressed condolences to Royupa’s family and friends, stating that the department is strengthening regulations for training visas and scrutinizing subclass 407 applications more closely, with refusal rates now at 45% for 2025-26.
But here’s the question that lingers: How many more migrant workers are trapped in similar situations, and what systemic changes are needed to prevent such exploitation? Share your thoughts in the comments—this is a conversation we can’t afford to ignore.
