A New South Wales (NSW) coroner has referred the death of Filipino migrant worker Jerwin Royupa to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for further investigation. The referral follows findings from a three-day coronial inquest in December 2024, which concluded that Mr. Royupa experienced exploitation and was subjected to potentially criminal conduct during his five weeks in Australia.
Coronial Inquest Findings
Deputy State Coroner Rebecca Hosking concluded that Jerwin Royupa, 21, a Filipino national and agriculture student, died on March 15, 2019, at Royal Melbourne Hospital from complications of multiple blunt force injuries. This occurred after he exited a moving van on March 14, 2019. The van was driven by his training scheme sponsor.
The inquest found that Mr. Royupa had become increasingly fearful of his visa sponsor in the days leading up to his death. On March 14, 2019, the sponsor reportedly threatened to take Mr. Royupa to the airport or police before he exited the vehicle. While the coroner could not definitively determine the precise reason for Mr. Royupa leaving the vehicle, the possibility of a threat was acknowledged. The sponsor reportedly understood that if Mr. Royupa absconded, they would be financially liable. Mr. Royupa did not have access to his passport during his stay at the winery.
Following Mr. Royupa exiting the vehicle and becoming unconscious on the road, the sponsor did not immediately call an ambulance. The sponsor also reportedly disparaged Mr. Royupa to a paramedic and departed the scene despite being instructed not to.
Employment and Visa Conditions
Mr. Royupa arrived in Australia in February 2019 on a temporary subclass 407 visa, which is intended for workplace-based occupational training. However, the coroner found that Mr. Royupa exclusively performed manual labor at a southern NSW winery without any educational training, contrary to his proposed arrangements.
Key issues identified regarding his employment included:
- Excessive Hours: Mr. Royupa was required to work up to 60 hours per week, conflicting with his proposed training schedule.
- Unsafe Conditions: He worked outdoors in excessive heat without appropriate clothing or sun protection.
- Lack of Payment: Despite being promised a "generous allowance," no payments were made during his time in Australia. He was informed that his salary would be paid after six months. Mr. Royupa was owed over 200 hours of pay, with a proposed monthly base salary of $134.92 for working 10 hours a day, six days a week.
Visa Approval Process Concerns
The Department of Home Affairs acknowledged that approving Mr. Royupa's training visa was "inappropriate." Further, documentation provided by the same sponsor for a separate visa nomination after Mr. Royupa's death was rejected, with the decision-maker stating that a "genuine" training opportunity was not intended.
Inquest Context and Recommendations
The inquest was Australia's first to examine forced labor concerns since modern slavery offenses were criminalized in 2013.
Coroner Hosking made six recommendations, which included:
- Referring the coronial brief and transcript to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for further investigation consideration.
- Recommending the Home Affairs Minister conduct an internal review of the department's role in approving subclass 407 training visas, specifically addressing pay, employment conditions, monitoring, and support for visa-holders.
- Suggesting the NSW Police Commissioner collaborate with the state's anti-slavery commissioner to develop and implement mandatory modern slavery training for officers in high-risk areas.
Department of Home Affairs Response
A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs stated that the department fully assisted the inquest, is reviewing the findings, and expressed condolences regarding Mr. Royupa's death. The department is working on strengthened regulations for the training visa to protect visa-holders. It was noted that there was a 45% refusal rate for subclass 407 visa applications in 2025-26, indicating close scrutiny.