At least 60 businesses across Albury-Wodonga are expected to receive unannounced visits as part of an audit by the ombudsman’s workplace regulator.

But in addition to these businesses, about another 140 businesses are being asked to hand-up records.

The campaign is aimed at what the ombudsman’s office calls a cross-section of businesses in order to determine whether they are “complying with their workplace obligations”.

The reason Albury-Wodonga is in the ombudsman’s sights is the fact it is a regional area with a high student concentration. That is with the Border being home to campuses of Charles Sturt University and La Trobe University.

Similar campaigns were carried out in Ballarat and Wollongong earlier this year.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said inspectors who visited Albury-Wodonga businesses would speak to both workers and employers.

Ms James said that was to ensure compliance with industrial laws and to also provide information on rights and obligtations.

“Proactively visiting businesses and conducting unannounced checks of time and wage records is one of the many ways we aim to promote compliance with workplace laws,” she said.

“The Fair Work Ombudsman analyses intelligence and data from a range of sources and regularly conducts proactive campaigns in areas and industries where we believe there is a heightened risk of non-compliance.”

Employers and employees can get free advice by visiting fairwork.gov.au or through phoning 131 394.