Topics difficult to measure in a register-based census

1. Topics difficult to measure in a register-based census Harald Utne Census Project Statistics Norway harald.utne@ssb.no UNECE-Eurostat Meeting on Population and Housing Censuses in Geneva 13-15 May 2008

2. Register-based censuses - common problems? • Topics difficult to measure depend on • Coverage and quality of administrative data available • Possibilities to link registers • Differences between countries • Presentation based on • Mainly on Norwegian experiences • Some other Nordic experiences • A few other experiences • Contents of presentation • Types of information difficult to obtain from registers • What topics are difficult to measure? • Common problems for discussion

3. Types of information difficult to obtain from registers • Data from recently established registers • Data of minor importance for administrative purposes • The never-ever problem • Data from events abroad • Data on topics not relevant for administrative registration

4. Data from recently established registers • Time elapsing from registers are established till good quality data are available • Differences between registers • Differences between countries • Norway: Labour market register • Register on employees: 1978 • More registers available: 1988- • First census: 2001 • Norway: Dwelling register • Established in 2001 • Housing and household topics most difficult in 2011

5. Data of minor importance for administrative purposes Norwegian register on dwellings and buildings • Topics mandatory to update: low coverage • Example: water supply • Other topics: coverage more than 90 per cent Norwegian register on wage sums • Used to identify employment • Duration on employment not important for tax authorities • Not recorded even if possible

6. The never-ever problem • Lack of data describing the situation before the register was established • Ever resided abroad • Resided abroad after 1964 • Unemployed persons never employed • Not employed after 2000

7. Data from events abroad • Mainly a problem for immigrants • Information not recorded at the time of immigration • Education taken abroad • Legal marital status

8. Data on topics not relevant for administrative registration Topics on emotional relationships • No general cohabitation register • Only recorded if relevant for administrative purpose (taxation etc) Topics on behavior or attitudes • Mode of transport to work/school • Type of energy uses for heating

9. Population to be enumerated and geographical characteristics • Place of usual residence • Population registers: Legal residence • Implication also for household and housing topics • Relevance • Administrative rules and practices do not fully comply with census recommendation • Accuracy • Updating population registers

10. Place of usual residence • “Rule of twelve months” • Norwegian CPR: Six months • Other countries: Different rules, no such rule • Third level students • Parents’ address or place of study (Norway: Voluntarily) • Illegal immigrants • Under-coverage • People moving abroad • Few incentives to de-register • Over-coverage • Very old-age population • Persons not de-registered will never die

11. Demographic, family and household characteristics • Dwelling household concept • Combination of CPR and dwelling register • Norway: No household register • No housekeeping units • Relationship between household members • Links: Spouses and children – parents (missing for older persons) • Derived links: Siblings, children – grandparents (also missing) • Cohabitating couples Estimation based on • Sex, common children, kinship, age difference, date of moving into dwelling • Sample surveys

12. Migration and ethno-cultural characteristics • Ever resided abroad, year of arrival • The never-ever problem • Country of birth according to existing boundaries • Based on estimation • Ethnicity • Subjective dimension, normally not recorded • Estimations based on available information • Country background, ethnical background • Language, religion • Depending on national registration

13. Economic characteristics • Current activity status: Use of multiple sources • Some sources may not have duration recorded • Using LFS for benchmarking or estimation • Status in employment • Family workers difficult to identify • Industry, location of place of work • Identify local kind of activity unit • Persons working abroad • Nordic countries: Data exchange • Unemployed never worked before • Difficult to identify jobs for those who have been working long ago • Persons not currently active • Students: Enrolled vs. active • Homemakers: Estimation only

14. Educational characteristics • Education taken abroad • Searching for new administrative sources • Supplement by statistical surveys

15. Housing topics • Housing arrangements • CPR: Most people registered in conventional dwellings • Homeless • Only registered homeless, not de facto • Not registered at all • Type of living quarters • Mainly information on conventional dwellings • Occupational status • Occupants according to CPR (legal) • Difficult to distinguish between dwellings • Reserved for seasonal or secondary use • Vacant • Dwelling occupied by students may be classified as “vacant”

16. Housing topics (cont.) • Topics on housing standards • Old buildings: Information may be missing • Updating depending on administrative needs • Norway: Floor space updated, problems with number of rooms • Electricity, piped gas etc • Depending on specialized registers

17. Conclusions Topics difficult to measure using register-based data • Depending on set-up of national register system How to solve the problems • Solution may also depend on national circumstances • Searching for new administrative sources • Using sample surveys for benchmarking, imputation, estimation Some problems in common: Cooperation between countries • Exchange information • Compare data • Exchange data