Joint UNECE/Eurostat Work Session on Migration Statistics, 14-16 April 2010, Geneva Population census as a vehicle to the collection of migration statistics

Joint UNECE/Eurostat Work Session on Migration Statistics, 14-16 April 2010, Geneva

Population census as a vehicle to the collection of migration statistics –

country practices

Haoyi Chen

United Nations Statistics Division


Presentation plan

Sources of international migration statistics United Nations recommendations on the collection of migration statistics Country practices using the 2000 and 2010 round of population censuses Conclusion


Sources of international and internal migration information

Population censuses Sample surveys Administrative sources – border collection,

population registers, registration for foreigners etc.


Why census matter?

An important part of an integrated national statistical system.

Collects demographic, socio-economic info. of every individual in a defined territory, at the well-defined point in time.

Population censuses are the most widely available source for collecting data on the immigrant stock and its characteristics.


United Nations Recommendations

Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Revision 2


Recommended topics to be included in census questionnaires

International migration characteristics- Country of birth- Citizenship- Year or period of arrival


Recommended topics

Geographical and internal migration characteristics:- Place of birth- Duration of residence- Place of previous residence- Place of residence at a specified date in the past- Place of usual residence- Place where present at time of census*- Total population*- Locality*- Urban and rural** derived topics, might not be identified from a questionnaire


Analysis based on:

Questionnaires from 179 countries in 2000 round (out of 203 countries that have conducted census)

Questionnaires from 66 countries in 2010 round (out of 78 countries that have conducted census)


Country of birth

Region 2000 round 2010 round

Total Number

Percent Total Number

Percent

Africa 34 30 88.2 19 15 78.9

America, North 31 31 100.0 7 6 85.7

America, South 11 10 90.9 3 2 66.7

Asia 41 30 73.2 16 8 50.0

Europe 39 34 87.2 5 5 100.0

Oceania 23 23 100.0 16 15 93.8

Total 179 158 88.3 66 51 77.3


Place of birth


Total Number Percent Total Number Percent

Africa 34 29 85.3 19 17 89.5

America, North

31 29 93.5 7 6 85.7

America, South

11 10 90.9 3 3 100.0

Asia 41 27 65.9 16 9 56.3

Europe 39 29 74.4 5 4 80.0

Oceania 23 20 87.0 16 13 81.3

Total 179 144 80.4 66 52 78.8


Country/place of birth - examples

Where was ___ born?– State locality if born in Botswana

otherwise state country Was ___ born in South Africa?

– If no, in what country was the person born?

Place of residence of the parents at birth of the member of household

Did you come to Anguilla before you were one year old? (!!!)


Citizenship


Total

Number Percent Total Number Percent

Africa 34 31 91.2 19 16 84.2

America, North

31 14 45.2 7 4 57.1

America, South

11 5 45.5 3 1 33.3

Asia 41 30 73.2 16 12 75.0

Europe 39 29 74.4 5 5 100.0

Oceania 23 19 82.6 16 11 68.8

Total 179 128 71.5 66 49 74.2


Citizenship – examples (1)

What is the country of ___'s citizenship?What is ___'s nationality?Ethnie ou nationalité. Inscrivez l'ethnie pour

les Gabonais, la nationalité pour les étrangers et mettez autre Gabonais pour les personnes naturlisées

Is (the person) a citizen of ___?



Dual citizenship: (If dual citizenship or citizenship of another

country) What is the name of the country?Do you have another nationality besides

Swiss nationality?– No– Yes, of which country?



Citizenship acquisition: Is this person a CITIZEN of the United

States?- Yes, born in Puerto Rico → Skip to 15a- Yes, born in a U.S. state, District of Columbia, Guam,

the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Northern Mariana Islands- Yes, born abroad of American parent or parents- Yes, a U.S. citizen by naturalization- No, not a citizen of the United States



What is your nationality?1. You were born French.2. You later became French through

naturalization, declaration, with your majority or by demonstration of will, etc.…Indicate your nationality at birth: _____

3. ForeignerIndicate your nationality: _____


Year or period of arrival



Africa 34 2 5.9 19 4 21.1

America, North

31 26 83.9 7 5 71.4

America, South

11 7 63.6 3 2 66.7

Asia 41 8 19.5 16 3 18.8

Europe 39 11 28.2 5 2 40.0

Oceania 23 11 47.8 16 8 50.0

Total 179 65 36.3 66 24 36.4


Year or period of arrival - examples

Last arrival: In what year did you last come to the Bahamas to live?

First arrival: Year of first arrival in Malaysia (for those born outside

Malaysia) Open or unspecified:

How many years have you lived in Argentina? If you were born outside of French Polynesia, in what

year did you come to the country? In what year did you become a resident of Brazil?


Duration of residenceRegion 2000 round 2010 round


Africa 34 16 47.1 19 13 68.4

America, North

31 11 35.5 7 1 14.3

America, South

11 2 18.2 3 1 33.3

Asia 41 24 58.5 16 8 50.0

Europe 39 16 41.0 5 1 20.0

Oceania 23 9 39.1 16 3 18.8

Total 179 78 43.6 66 27 40.9


Duration of residence - examples

How many years have you lived in this district?

Duration of residence. (If the place of residence has changed)

In which year did you move to this island?For how long have you been lived without

interruption in this commune?Year of last migrationYear of settling at the legal residence


Place of previous residence

Region 2000 round

2010 round


Africa 34 12 35.3 19 10 52.6

America, North

31 11 35.5 7 1 14.3

America, South

11 2 18.2 3 1 33.3

Asia 41 21 51.2 16 7 43.8

Europe 39 12 30.8 5 1 20.0

Oceania 23 4 17.4 16 0 0.0

Total 179 62 34.6 66 20 30.3


Place of previous residence - examples

What is your place of previous residence? Place of residence prior to current residence What is the federal unit or foreign country of

previous residence? Was the previous (last) place or your

residence in Poland or abroad?


Place of residence at a specified date in the past

Region 2000 round

2010 round


Africa 34 23 67.6 19 8 42.1

America, North

31 17 54.8 7 6 85.7

America, South

11 9 81.8 3 3 100.0

Asia 41 18 43.9 16 9 56.3

Europe 39 24 61.5 5 3 60.0

Oceania 23 19 82.6 16 15 93.8

Total 179 110 61.5 66 44 66.7


Place of residence at a specified date in the past - examples

Where did ... live in August 1995?Where did this person live 1 year ago, that

is, on May 14, 1995?Commonly used duration:

1-yr5-yr10-yrA date that most people are likely to remember

(such as last election year, the year hurricane hit the country etc)


Other topics covered by countries but outside of the UN recommendations (Rev. 2) - 1

Emigration of household members (also asked are characteristics about the emigrants)

44 countries Often asked are age, sex, duration

abroad, country where resided, reason for moving abroad, occupation, education attainment etc.



Ever-lived abroad(returning citizens) 23 countries Duration abroad, reason for returning,

year of return and previous country of residence



Reason for move/immigration: 35 Resident status of foreigners in the

country: 17 Country of birth of parents:12 Refugee/displacement related:9 Migrant worker: 6 Countries/place expected to live in the

future: 3


Overall picture

Topics2000 2010

Number Percent Number Percent

Country of birth 158 88.3 51 77.3

Place of birth 144 80.4 52 78.8

citizenship 128 71.5 49 74.2

Year/period of arrival 65 36.3 24 36.4

Duration of residence 78 43.6 27 40.9

Place of previous residence 62 34.6 20 30.3

Place of residence at a specified date in the past 110 61.5 44 66.7


Conclusions - 1

• Census is the most widely used data source for migration stock statistics

• Country of birth was asked the most• However, if we combine the questions on

“Duration of residence/previous residence” and “place of residence in a specified date in the past”, information on previous residence is even more commonly assessed


Conclusions - 2

• Compliance with the UN recommendations varies by countries

• Different ways of asking questions might bring comparability issues


For more information

2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme

National Census questionnaires

• Interactive database on using population census to collect international migration data


THANK YOU!

Documents

Joint UNECE/Eurostat Work Session on Migration Statistics, 14-16 April 2010, Geneva Population census as a vehicle to the collection of migration statistics