Comparing approaches of different (partly) register-based countries

1. Comparing approaches of different (partly) register-based countries Eric Schulte Nordholt Senior researcher and project leader of the Census Statistics Netherlands Division Socio-economic and spatial statistics e.schultenordholt@cbs.nl Presentation at the Expert Group Meeting on Censuses Using Registers in Geneva (22-23 May 2012)

2. Contents • Introduction to the research project • Participating other countries • Letter for participation • Census approaches of fully register-based countries • Census approaches of partly register-based countries • Conclusions

3. Introduction to the research project Master’s thesis project of Martina Maris (University of Groningen) in the period September 2011 – April 2012 supervised by Mark Huisman (University of Groningen), Eric Schulte Nordholt (Statistics Netherlands) and Jantien van Zeijl (Statistics Netherlands) concentrating on a number of questions: Which methods are used to compensate for missing information in the Census of 2011? Which methods are used to combine register and survey data in the Census of 2011? 3

4. Participating other countries • Fully register-based countries • Norway • Denmark • Sweden • Finland • Austria • Slovenia • Partly register-based countries • Switzerland • Germany • Poland 4

5. Letter for participation • Which variables are not available from registers? • What approach will be used when required variables cannot be obtained from available registers? • Will sample surveys be used to obtain additional census information? • Which estimation method will be used to combine register and survey data? • What are the reasons for using this method? • Large variation in answers 5

6. The Norwegian Census Approach Approach used to obtain all required information: Imputation (e.g., cohabitation) some categories will not be specified (e.g., family workers) persons will be assigned to a different category (e.g., private households) Approach used to combine register and survey data: no sample surveys quality assessment 6

7. The Danish Census Approach • Approach used to obtain all required census information: • additional survey data (e.g., educational attainment) • some variables will be provided not completely in accordance with their required definitions (e.g., CAS) • Approach used to combine register and survey data: • survey data on educational attainment for immigrants • non-respondents imputed on the basis of register data 7

8. The Swedish Census Approach Approach used to obtain all required census information: imputed as existing (e.g., water supply) provided not completely in accordance with the required definitions (e.g., CAS) Approach used to combine register and survey data: no survey data quality assessment 8

9. The Finnish Census Approach (1) • Approach used to obtain all required census information: • “register estimation method“ • estimate for each statistical unit the value of a target variable • not all required categories will be specified (e.g., own-account worker of status of employment) • quality problems (e.g., no information on students who have completed education abroad) • Approach used to combine register and survey data: • No survey data: all variables will be created by using the register estimation method 9

10. The Finnish Census Approach (2) Classifying the main type of activity in 19 steps Persons aged 0-14 years  below national minimum age Persons aged 75 years and over  pensioners Unemployed persons aged 15-64 who, according to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy’s Register of Job Applicants are unemployed on the last working day of the year […] 19. Others outside the labour force persons who do not meet any of the above criteria 10

11. The Austrian and Slovenian Census Approaches Approach used to obtain all required census information: Imputation of all missing information Approach used to combine register and survey data: No survey data 11

12. The Swiss Census Approach Approach used to obtain all required census information: An annual structural survey of 200,000 persons (2.7%) population, households, families, housing, employment, mobility, education, language, and religion Thematic surveys of 10,000 to 40,000 persons 1) mobility and transport, 2) education and training, 3) health, 4) families and generations, and 5) language, religion and culture. An annual omnibus survey of 3,000 persons provide quick answers to questions from policy makers Approach used to combine register and survey data: Traditional weighting 12

13. The German Census Approach Approach used to obtain all required census information: household survey (10% of population) education, employment, and migration background traditional enumeration of buildings and housing (100%) year of construction, type of building, number of rooms traditional enumeration of all residential establishments and collective living quarters (100%) boarding schools, homes for elderly people, data necessary to identify the persons living in the institutions (e.g., name, date of birth, place of birth, and sex) Approach used to combine register and survey data: Traditional weighting 13

14. The Polish Census Approach Approach used to obtain all required census information: Survey for basic demographic information Sample survey for detailed information 20% of the dwellings of permanent or temporary residents of the Republic of Poland Approach used to combine register and survey data: Traditional weighting 14

15. Conclusions • Several approaches are used to obtain all required census information • Most countries provide some of the data not completely in accordance with required EU definitions (e.g. CAS) • Imputation of missing information is a common approach • Most used approach to combine register and survey data: • Traditional weighting • Repeated weighting is in the Dutch Census of 2011 only used for the variables occupation, level of education and possibly some housing variables • Statistics Netherlands calls its approach a virtual census: fully register-based in the sense that no census questionnaires exist, partly register-based in the sense that already existing survey information is used for a few important variables • This study is of used for future recommendations on censuses