Transcript United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Migration stocks and flows: Basic concepts and definitions in the International recommendations Paolo Valente Regional Workshop on Migration.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Statistical Division
Migration stocks and flows:
Basic concepts and definitions in
the International recommendations
Paolo Valente
Regional Workshop on Migration Statistics
(Bishkek, 15 – 17 February 2010)
Table of contents
Migration-related
Measurement
Main
concepts and definitions
of migrant stocks and flows
data sources
Slide 2
Documents providing International
Recommendations on Migration Stats.
On stocks: CES Recommendations for 2010
round of population censuses
(available in Russian on UNECE website)
On flows: Recommendations on Statistics of
International Migration, Rev. 1 - 1998
(available in Russian on UNSD website)
 General consistency of concepts and definitions
Slide 3
General concepts: What is migration
Geographical mobility can take several
forms: persons travel for several reasons
and stay ‘away’ for long or short durations
Only changes of residence of a certain
duration are considered as “migration”
Slide 4
International migrant:
statistical definition (from 1998 rec.)
A (long-term) migrant is a person who
moves to a country other than that of
his/her usual residence for a period
of at least 12 months, so that the country
of destination becomes his/her new country
of residence
Slide 5
Place of residence
Concept of place of usual residence is
crucial!
It is the place where persons usually
reside, i.e. the place where he/she spends
most of his/her daily night-rest.
Slide 6
Place of residence
Two main issues in defining and measuring
the place of residence:
 To be used for statistical purposes!
Legal status
Duration
Slide 7
Duration of stay
Different duration thresholds are used by
countries, often depending on
administrative rules.
At international level, the one-year
duration is strongly recommended.
Slide 8
Legal vs. resident population
Slide 9
International and internal migration

International migration: moves across
national boundaries:
•
Emigration: standpoint of sending country
• Immigration: standpoint of receiving country

Internal migration refers to migration
within the boundaries of a given country.
Slide 10
Long-term vs. short-term migration

Long-term migrants: stay abroad for 12
months or more, for any reason

Short-term migrants: stay abroad
between 3 and 12 months, for reasons
other than holiday, visits, medical
treatment, pilgrimage.
Slide 11
Measurement of migration

Stock of migrants: people who live in a
country at a specific point in time and
who - directly or indirectly - have
previously experienced a migration

Flows of migrants: refers to the
movements of people who migrated
during a specified time period (usually
one year)
Slide 12
Stocks of immigrants
There are various stocks of population groups
relevant to migration:
1.
2.
3.
the ever international migrants
the foreign-born
the foreigners
They are not mutually exclusive!
Slide 13
Putting all together
Native-born
Ever
international
migrants
Foreigners
Foreign-born
TOTAL
POPULATION
Slide 14
Country of birth
PROS
PROS



Evidence of migration
Unique
Does not change
CONS


Some ‘Nationals’ can
be included
2nd generation
excluded
Slide 15
Citizenship
CONS
PROS


Legally relevant
Many statistical
sources



Unstable
National regulations
Not unique
Slide 16
Main sources of data on stocks


Population census (major source in most
countries)
CES Recommendations for 2010 censuses
New
framework on migration characteristics
More data on migration (« core topics »)
required compared to 2000 census round
Slide 17
Main sources of data on stocks
Migration core-topics in CES Census Rec.:
 Place/country of birth
 Citizenship
 Ever resided abroad and year of arrival in
the country
 Previous place of usual residence and
data of arrival in the current place
 Reason for migration (non-core topic)
Slide 18
Other sources of data on stocks

Administrative data:
•
Population register
• Register of foreigners
• Permits of stay

Sample surveys:
•
Household sample survey
Slide 19
Difficult to measure
population groups
These are not additional groups of
migrants, but they are migrants with
characteristics that make them difficult to
count.
 For example: refugees, asylum seekers
or illegal migrants
 Should be enumerated in census if they
meet usual residence conditions,
regardless of their legal status

Slide 20
Ethnicity ( or nationality)
Individual characteristic and affiliation,
based on a shared understanding of the
history and territorial origins of an ethnic
group as well as on particular cultural
characteristics, such as language, religion
and specific customs and ways of life.
 Not to be used as proxy for citizenship!
Slide 21
Stocks of emigrants
There is no standard definition.
Frequently used terms refer to ‘diaspora’ or ‘transnational
communities’
Various population groups are relevant
1.
2.
3.
Nationals living abroad
Native-born living abroad
Nationals living abroad and their descendants
Slide 22
Main sources of data on stocks of
emigrants

Administrative data:
•

Data from receiving countries
•
•

Consular/embassy registers
UNECE Data exchange exercises in ECE, CIS (2007)
UNECE Guidelines endorsed by CES in 2009
Population census - Emigration module
•
UNECE study (presented at 2008 Work Session)
Slide 23
Migration flows

Number of migration events over a
certain period, typically 1 year

Migration flows can be either long-term or
short-term
Slide 24
Main sources of data on flows

Administrative data:
•
Population register/registration
• Register of foreigners
• Permits of stay / Visa
• Border cards
Slide 25
Main sources of data on flows (cont.)

Sample surveys:
•
Household sample survey
• Passenger sample survey

Demographic analysis/models
Slide 26
Measurement of emigration flows
The most difficult challenge!

Administrative sources: little incentive to deregister

Household sample surveys: difficult to collect
information on absent persons
Adjustments possible on the basis of comparison with
other sources and/or demographic analysis
Slide 27
Major measurement problems for flows
1. Inconsistencies between national
sources
2. Inconsistencies between data from
different countries
Slide 28