The LIS was begun in 1983 in order to build a multi-national dataset consisting of household surveys that would allow researchers access to large national economic surveys and promote comparative research on economic conditions of populations. There are now over 20 countries contributing data to the LIS from Europe, North America, the Far East, and Australia.
Negotiations are underway to include four additional countries.
In recognition of many countries' desire not to allow direct access to their micro data, users of the LIS register with LIS and are allowed to use these micro-data without having direct access to them via a remote job submittal processes. Availability Registered remote access. The database consists of household and consumer surveys. The US survey, for example, is the Current Population Survey's March Annual Demographic File. Comparable questions from all the surveys are then subsetted and a standardized variable list is created to allow cross survey comparative use.