The death of a Filipino migrant worker who leapt from a moving vehicle to escape his employer has exposed serious failures in Australia’s migrant worker protections. Jerwin Royupa was legally in the country on a training visa, placed at a local winery. Instead of receiving structured training, evidence presented at an inquest indicates he experienced exploitation and conditions consistent with forced labor, prompting renewed calls for urgent reform.  

A sham training program and warning signs

In 2019, 21-year-old Jerwin Royupa arrived in Australia as a recent college graduate. He had been offered what was described as a training opportunity that included a “generous allowance” and the promise of developing new skills. Five weeks later, he jumped from his employer’s moving car in an apparent attempt to escape. He died days later from his injuries.

His sister Jessa Joy Royupa told the Wellington Times: 

We know that Jerwin was deceived by a sham training program. We know that he was fearful of his employer. We know that he had multiple risk factors of forced labor.

The coroner’s investigation after his death found that in the days prior, Jerwin had become “increasingly fearful” of his visa sponsor. Contrary to the terms of his visa, he had been performing manual labor exclusively, rather than receiving training. The inquest heard that he was required to work “excessive” hours. At times as much as 60 a week. Tellingly, he did not have access to his passport, a common red flag of modern slavery.

These findings have raised serious concerns about oversight of the training visa program and the safeguards intended to protect migrant workers from exploitation.

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