Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses

Minsk, 8-12 December 2008

Review of Core topics in the Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for the 2010 Censuses of Population and Housing

Paolo Valente

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division

Number of topics in 2000 and 2010 CES Rec.

Type of topics

Core topics, of which: - population core topics - housing core topics Non-core topics, of which: - population non-core topics - housing non-core topics

2000 42

29 13

62

46 16

2010 38

24 14

71

54 17

Diff.

-4

-5 +1

+9

+8 +1

Population topics: Place of usual residence

Definition of Place of usual residence

Place where a person

has lived

for a continuous period of at least before census day

12 months

OR

Place where a person

has arrived 12 months

before census day during the with the

intention

of staying for at least

12 months

Population topics Place of usual residence (cont.)

 Same as one of the two definitions proposed in

Principles and Recommendations

New compared to past recommendations:

• Time threshold of

12 months

• Concept of “

Intention of staying

” selected people for

Population topics Place of usual residence - Intention “Intention of staying”

 The intention should be considered only for persons who arrived in the place of residence in the 12 months before the census

How should the “intention of staying” be taken in consideration?

Population topics Place of usual residence – Intention (cont.) “Intention of staying”

Example: At the time of the census a person is residing in place B, where he/she moved from place A four months before the census:  To determine the place of residence of this person, we have to consider his/her

“intention”

Population topics Place of usual residence – Intention (cont.)

CASE 1: If the person has intention to stay in B for a total period of less than 12 months and then plans to return to place A:  Then

place A

is the place of usual residence at the time of the census (temporary absence)

Population topics Place of usual residence – Intention (cont.)



In ALL OTHER CASES, the place of usual residence at the time of the census is place B Including:

CASE 2: If the person has intention to stay in B for a total period of 12 months or longer:

Population topics Place of usual residence – Intention (cont.) …and also:

CASE 3: If the person has intention to stay in B for a total of less than 12 months and then plans to move to a different place C:

Place B

(where found at census time) is the place of usual res.

Population topics Place of usual residence – Intention (cont.)

 Why was the “intention” of staying introduced in the definition?

To make sure that everybody has one and only one place of usual residence

Population topics Place of usual residence

   

Difficult application for…

  Persons living

in more than one residence Persons working away

from home during the week

Students who are studying away

from home Children who

alternate between two households Persons living in institutions

Persons in compulsory

military service

Population topics Place of usual residence

Place of usual residence of:

 Persons living in more than one residence  Children who alternate between two households  Is the place where the person spends

the majority of the time

(general principle)

Population topics Place of usual residence

EXCEPTIONS:

Place of usual residence of:



Persons working away

during the week from home 

Primary and secondary students studying away

from home  Is the

family home

, even if they don’t spend there the majority of the time

Population topics Place of usual residence

Place of usual residence of:



Tertiary (university) students studying away

from home  Is where they spend or intend to spend the majority of time (

term-time address

)

Population topics Place of usual residence

Why differentiate primary-secondary and tertiary students?

For the different link with the family home

BUT……

 If the place of education is within the country, then the family home could be considered as place of usual residence for all students, including tertiary students

Population topics Place of usual residence

Place of usual residence of:



Persons living in institutions

 If they are staying (or have intention to stay) there for more than 12 months, then it is the institution . Otherwise, the family home.

Population topics Place of usual residence

 There are people who do not have a place of usual residence because move frequently and do not make up the 12 months rules (such as

homeless

) The place of usual residence of these persons is

the place where they are enumerated



Every person should have one and only one place of usual residence

Population topics Place of usual residence

Temporary absent persons:

• Persons who are usually resident in the enumeration place but are absent at the time of the census for

less than 12 months

should be

included



IMPORTANT:

Persons who have been away or intend to be away for

more than 12 months

should be

excluded

 Long-term emigrants should be excluded

Population topics Total population (derived topic)

•

Count of total usually resident population, including:

•

persons who are usually resident and present, and persons who are usually resident but temporarily absent

Population topics Total population (derived topic)

How to treat special cases?

   Refugees Asylum seekers Illegal immigrants

The 12-month rule applies as for the rest of the population, regardless of legal status!!!

Population topics Total population (derived topic)

•

EXCEPTIONS:

Defense and diplomatic personnel and their family who are nationals but are located outside the country



Included

•

Foreign defense and diplomatic personnel and their family living in the country



Excluded

Migration characteristics

• New general framework • Definition of relevant population groups – Foreign-born – Foreigners – Descendants of foreign-born – Ever-international migrants – Internal migrants

Migration characteristics

 4 core topics to satisfy growing demand for data on migration: – Country/place of birth 

Data on foreign-born

• Place of birth, or • Place of residence of mother at the time of the birth – Country of citizenship 

Data on foreigners

• Collect information on dual or multiple citizenship • Collect information on stateless persons

Migration characteristics

– Ever resided abroad and year of arrival in the country 

Data on ever-international migrants

(upgrading of “Year of immigration into the country”, non core topic in 2000 rec.) – Previous place of usual residence and date of arrival

in the current place



Data on internal migration

(development of “Place of usual residence one year prior to the census”, core topic in the 2000 rec.)

Ethno-cultural characteristics

• High relevance in the context of migration, integration, minority policies • 3 non-core topics: – Ethnicity – Language – Religion • Free and open declaration of the respondents is essential • Appropriate data security and disclosure control measures have to be put in place

Ethnicity and Religion Practical aspects

• Questionnaires should always include open boxes (not precoded) to allow small groups to identify • Respondents should be allowed to indicate « none » or « not declared » • For ethnicity: Respondents should be free to indicate more than one ethnic affiliation or a combination of two

Economic topics The main objective of collecting economic characteristics in the census is to classify the population according to

Activity Status

:

POPULATION

Inactive Population Active Population

EMPLOYED STUDENT UNEMPLOYED PENSION / OTHER HOUSEWORK OTHER

Activity Status

Economically active population Not economically active (inactive) population

Persons who provide the supply of labour, as employed or as unemployed, for the

production

of goods and services Persons who are not economically active: Persons who produce services for own consumption Persons who do not produce any good or service

Activity Status

What is the time-span to consider if the person is engaged in the “production”?

Short reference period: one week or one day

Current activity status (core in CES Rec.)

Long reference period: one year Usual activity status (non-core)

I.

Activity status: Employed and unemployed

Employed Unemployed

II.

Persons who

performed work

for pay or profit, in cash or in kind Persons who were temporarily absent from a job in which they had already worked and to which they maintain a formal attachment, or from a self-employed activity such as a farm, a business enterprise or a service undertaking (paras 241 244) • • • Persons who are: Without work (not in wage employment or self employed), Currently available for work, and Seeking work

Current Activity Status

How to assess the current activity status in the census questionnaire?



There are different practices, with different types of questions

Important: How questions are asked matters!

Measurement of Current Activity Status: standard approach

Have you worked?

No Temporary absent?

Yes Employed Information on job: occupation, status, ….

Yes No Looking for work?

Ready to take up work?

Yes Unemployed Non active

No

Measurement of Current Activity Status: standard approach Example: UK

Last week, were you doing any work as employee, self employed or in your own/family business?

…followed by other questions on number of hours worked, type of work done, etc.

Measurement of Current Activity Status: standard approach Example: Canada

Last week, how many hours did you/this person spend working for pay or in self employment? Include: Working for wages, salary, tips or commission; Working in your/his/her own business, farm or professional practice, alone or in partnership Working directly towards the operation of a family farm or business without formal pay arrangements (e.g. assisting in seeding, doing accounts) Number of hours None

Measurement of Current Activity Status: standard approach Shortcoming: When asked about

work

, people tend to exclude non-formal work Some prompts can be added: 

Did you sell food or snacks at the market/bus stop/school?

 

Did you sell food from home?

Did you sew for pay?

Measurement of Current Activity Status: alternative approach Example: Ireland • • • • • • • •

How would you describe your present principal status?

Working for payment and profit Looking for first regular job Unemployed Student or pupil Looking after home Retired from payment Unable to work Other

Employed Unemployed Not active

Measurement of Current Activity Status DISCOURAGED approach: Source of income/livelihood

Source of income (persons with more then one source, specify each source). A box is reported at the end of the question to specify the main source

Salaried employment 1. At an enterprise, organization, institution 2. In a farm 3. For individuals (including rendering household services ) 4. Employer Non-salaried employment Owners of enterprises, farms 8.Scholarship 9. Pension 10. Benefits and allowances (excluding unemployment benefits) 11. Unemployment benefits 12. Other type of State maintenance 13. Income from property 14. On the dependence 15. Other sources 5. On individual basis at family enterprise 6. Unpaid at farms 7. Personal subsidiary plots

Main source of income/livelihood (non-core topic)

CES Recommendations:

The “main source of livelihood” is a useful concept to complement the measurement of the economically active population and of status in employment. However, it is according to activity status.

NOT suitable

for the measurement of economic activity status and should not be used to classify the population

Beyond the Activity Status Classification

Other core topics on economic characteristics: • Occupation • Industry • Status in employment Information on these topics should be collected for: • Employed • Unemployed (on the basis of the last job)

Selected other population topics in CES Rec.

• Disability – New non-core topic in CES Rec.

– Core topic in Principles and Rec.

• Agriculture (new non-core topic) – Own account agriculture production (household level) – Characteristics of all agriculture jobs during the last year (individual level)

Housing topics – Highlights of changes in 2010 CES Recommendations

New framework: Types of housing

Conventional dwellings Other housing units Collective living quarters Homeless with no place of u.r.

Occupied conv . dwel .

Seasonal & sec . dwel .

Other vacant dwel.

Most core topics refer ONLY to housing units (occupied conv. dwellings and other housing units)

Housing topics – Highlights of changes in 2010 CES Recommendations

New core topic: • Housing arrangements – All persons should be classified in these categories:

(1.0) (2.0) Persons with usual res. in a conventional dwelling Persons with usual res. in an other housing unit (3.0) Persons with usual res. in a collective living quarter (4.0) Persons who are not usual residents in any living quarter category, such as homeless or other people moving between temporary accommodations

Housing topics

For core topics:

• Water supply system • Toilet facilities



Differences between classifications in CES Rec. and Principles and Recommendations



WHO recommended using classification proposed in Principles and Recommendations