Data collection concerning international migrants: population censuses - presented at the UN World Data Forum 2017

1. United Nations World Data Forum
16 – 18 January 2017
Cape Town, South Africa
DATA COLLECTION CONCERNING INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS:
POPULATION CENSUSES
Sabrina Juran, Ph.D.
Paper: The Potential of the 2010 Population and Housing
Census Round for International Migration Analysis
by: S. Juran, PhD and R. Snow, D.Sc.
Presented at IOM GMDAC International Conference:
Improving Data on International Migration
Berlin, 2-3 December 2016

2. SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation
and revitalize the Global Partnership for
Sustainable Development
 SDG Target 17.18: “By 2020, enhance capacity-
building support to developing countries […] to
increase significantly the availability of high-
quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated
by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity,
migratory status, disability, geographic location
and other characteristics relevant in national
contexts”
Agenda 2030:
define & measure migrant status
1

3. Most comprehensive data source: Population Census
Advantages:
 Near universal coverage
 Demographic & socio-economic characterization
 Potential uniformity in data
Limitations:
 10 year Interval
 Limited detail
 Low degree of accuracy?
 Methodology: de facto vs. de jure census?
Population Censuses
2

4. A. International Migrant (UNSD Definition)
“Any person who changes her/his country of usual
residence”
B. Foreign-born population of a country
UNPD Immigrant Stock: “All persons who have that
country as the country of usual residence and whose place
of birth is located in another country”
C. Foreign population
“All persons who have that country as the country of usual
residence and who are the citizens of another country”
Several Definitions
3

5. A. International Migrant (1 or 2 countries)
“Any person who changes her/his country of usual
residence” (12months)
B. Foreign-born population of a country (130 countries)
UNPD Immigrant Stock: “All persons who have that
country as the country of usual residence and whose place
of birth is located in another country”
C. Foreign population (112 countries)
“All persons who have that country as as the country of
usual residence and who are the citizens of another country”
Several Definitions – Not all with data
4

6. The UN Principles & Recommendations for
Population & Housing Censuses advocates
for the inclusion of three core questions:
Country of birth
Citizenship
Year / period of arrival
Three Core Question in Censuses
5

7.  Total universe – 237 countries & territories
 214 censuses in 2010 census round
 UNSD database – 149 census
questionnaires – 70% (random selection)
2010 Census Round Questionnaires
6

8. Availability of 2010 Round
Census Questionnaires
7
58
36
14
50
54
25
49
33
14
43
51
25
30
24
10
33
30
22
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Africa North
America
South
America
Asia Europe Oceania
Countries and Territories Countries with 2010 Census Census Questionnaires in UNSD Database
61% 71%72% 59% 59%77%

9. Number of Countries with Core
Questions in 2010 Census
8
129
112
75
98
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Country of
Birth
Citizenship Year or period
of arrival
Country of
Birth &
Citizenship
75% 50% 66%87%

10. Place of Birth (87%)
9
25
22
10
23
28
21
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Africa North
America
South
America
Asia Europe Oceania
70%100%92% 96%93%83%

11. Country of Citizenship (75%)
10
26
12
5
24
28
17
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Africa North
America
South
America
Asia Europe Oceania
93%73%
50%
50% 77%87%

12. Year/ Period of Arrival (50%)
11
7
20
8
7
21
12
0
5
10
15
20
25
Africa North
America
South
America
Asia Europe Oceania
83% 70%21%80% 55%
23%

13. Both: Place of Birth & Citizenship
(66%)
12
21
11
5
18
26
17
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Africa North
America
South
America
Asia Europe Oceania
55%50%46% 77%70% 87%

14. Inclusion of other Questions
13
51
34
20
17
14
7
5
4
3
2
1
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Emigration of household members
Ever lived abroad
Reason for immigration
Country/place of birth of parents
Country of previous residence
Receipt of Remittances
Reason for emigration
Duration of visit
Legal status of residency
Country of residence at a specified date in the past
Country of residence
Reason for return migration
Duration having been living abroad
Refugee Status
Purpose of visit
Year or period of return
Immigration of mother/father
Intention to live in country continuously for at least 12 months
Place of birth of parents and grandparents
Number of foreigners in the household
Passport of which country
Place of residence of absent household members
Place of usual residence in the past 6 months
Country of residence of parents
Country of permanent residence
Displacement / Resettlement due to war
Overseas Workers

15. Advocate for importance of censuses in
measuring international migration;
Ensure inclusion of core questions in census;
Produce tabulations disaggregated by sex, age,
race, ethnicity, disability, geographic location and
other characteristics relevant in national contexts;
Advocate for public access to micro data /
sample;
Exploit other data sources.
Commitments and Recommendations
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16. Thank you
Sabrina Juran, Ph.D.
UNFPA, Technical Division,
Population and Development Branch
juran@unfpa.org