Collecting information on emigration at the census

1. Collecting information on emigration at the census Olga Chudinovskikh (Lomonosov Univ.) Rudolf Anich (UNECE) Enrico Bisogno (UNECE)

2. Main questions on emigration • How many nationals/previous residents are living abroad? • What are the main countries of destination • How long have been emigrants absent from the country of origin? • What are the main reasons for moving abroad? • What is the social-demographic profile of the emigrants? • Do the emigrants intend to return back? • Do the emigrants have economic ties with the original household?

3. Using the census for estimating emigration: some countries tried

4. Focus of this exercise: 4 countries

5. Outline of analysis • Description of practices • Count of emigrants vs. population count • Accuracy of emigration count • Lessons learned

6. Georgia (2002) Target group: • Previous household members who left the country after 1991 • Absent from Georgia for 12 months or longer Respondents: • Any adult member of the household • Relatives, neighbours, administrative authorities

7. Georgia: census module for emigrants Questions asked: • Demographic-social characteristics: Relationship to reference person, sex, date of birth, place of birth, education, nationality • Date of emigration • Country of emigration and currently living • Reason of emigration • Economic support: • family  emigrant and emigrant  family • Intention to return

8. Tunisia (2004) Target group: Persons who at the time of the census: • abroad for 6 months or longer • member of the family nucleus 5 years before the census Respondents: Members of the family nucleus (spouse and unmarried children)

9. Tunisia: census module for emigrants Questions asked: • Demographic-social characteristics: sex, date and country of birth, country of citizenship • Relationship to reference person • Date of emigration • Reason to move • Country of destination

10. Moldova (2004) Target group: • Permanent resident registered in the country • Person ‘temporarily’ abroad (regardless of the duration and reason of absence) Respondents: • Household members of the absent person

11. Moldova: questions in the census questionnaire Questions asked in the individual questionnaire: • At 12:00 a.m. of census day the person was: • Temporarily absent, and left on _______ • In other locality of the country • Abroad (please indicate the country: ________________) • Reason: • For work • For study • Other reason • Absence duration: • Less than one year • More than one year (please indicate the year when left: ________________)

12. Poland (2002) Target group: • Permanent resident registered in Poland • Person ‘temporarily’ staying abroad for  2 months (regardless of the period of stay) Respondents: • Family members of the absent person • Persons living with the absentee before his/her departure • Neighbours

13. Poland: questions in the census questionnaire Questions asked in the individual questionnaire): • Do you live here permanently and were you present or absent on census reference day or do you stay here temporarily? • Live permanently – present • Live permanently – absent stay in other place in Poland • Live permanently – absent stay abroad • Stay temporarily – arrived from other place in Poland • Stay temporarily – arrived from abroad • What is the real duration of your absence or staying? • Up to 2 months • Between 2 and 6 months • Between 6 and 12 months • 12 months and more • What is the reason of your absence or staying? • Education • Work • Family reasons • ……………………

14. Two main typologies • Georgia and Tunisia: separate module • Moldova and Poland: questions in the main questionnaire

15. Different impact on population count • Georgia and Tunisia: emigrants excluded from population count • Moldova and Poland: emigrants included in population count

16. Accuracy of emigration count How to assess if these modules were successful to count emigrants? Data obtained from the census compared with data collected in receiving countries

17. Main destination countries

18. Citizens of Poland living in other countries (2004)

19. Poland: emigrants by year of migration

20. Tunisia

21. Tunisia: looking a bit deeper…..

22. Lessons learnt Data collection worked well for emigrants that: • Had left the country in the years just before the census (up to 5 yrs.) • Are more likely to keep close ties with the country (Polish data were better for Italy and Germany than for emigrants in the US or Canada) • Are members of the family nucleus that is left behind (e.g. Tunisian males) • Are still included in an administrative register (Poland)

23. To conclude… • It’s fundamental to keep separate the count of population from the count of emigrants (persons residing abroad for 1 year or more) • The census cannot provide a good estimate of the total number of emigrants living abroad • It’s important to identify what group of emigrants we can reasonably count in a census. (For example, those having left the country in the last years and having close family ties)

24. To conclude… • An emigration module can provide important information on ‘qualitative’ aspects such as: geographical distribution of emigrants, information on households left behind, reason of migration, socio-economic characteristics, etc. • Accurate test of questions/module is necessary (use experience of other countries) • Choice of respondents is fundamental (undercounting vs. overcounting) • Use of data from receiving countries is a good source for total counts