Labour force survey in the EU, candidate and EFTA countries : main characteristics of national surveys, 2014 : 2015 edition
Date: 2015-08-31
Institutions: Eurostat
Subjects: EFTA countries, EU statistics, European Union, data collection, labour force, report, sample survey, statistical method, statistics, working population

ISSN 1681-4789
ISSN 2315-0807

Statistical working papers

Labour force survey in the EU, candidate  
and EFTA countries
Main characteristics of national surveys, 201(cid:21) 

201(cid:22) edition

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Statistical working papers

Labour force surveys in the EU, candidate
and EFTA countries
Main characteristics of national surveys, 201(cid:21)

201(cid:22) edition
201(cid:22) edition

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ISBN 978-92-79-50183-8 
ISSN 2315-0807 
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Cat. No: KS-TC-15-003-EN-N 

Theme: Population and social conditions 
Collection: Statistical working papers 

© European Union, 2015 
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Preface 

This  report  describes  the  main  characteristics  of  the  Labour  Force  Surveys  in  the  28 
Member States of the European Union, two Candidate Countries (the former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia(1) and Turkey), and three EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway and 
Switzerland) in 2014.  

All of these countries provide Eurostat with Labour Force Survey (LFS) micro-data for 
publication.  The  aim  of  this  report  is  by  provide  information  regarding  the  technical 
features  of  the  surveys  carried  out  in  these  countries  in  order  to  enable  users  to 
accurately interpret the LFS results. 

The EU-LFS is based on European legislation since 1973. The principal legal act is the 
Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98. The regulations are an important element assuring 
the quality of the EU-LFS.  

The  LFS  is  designed  as  a  continuous  quarterly  survey  measures  the  labour  status  and 
other characteristics of the population in an averaged week in each quarter, by spreading 
the sample uniformly over all the weeks of the quarter. All countries conduct the LFS as 
a continuous survey. 

The  main  characteristics  of  the  national  practices  are  presented  in  this  report.  The 
information is mostly organised on the same lines as in the 2013 edition The European 
Union labour force survey: main characteristics of the national surveys 2013. This will 
enable users to evaluate the degree of comparability achieved. Country sheets include a 
section on the main conceptual, methodological or organisational changes introduced in 
recent years, to allow the reader to have an idea of recent changes at a glance. Tables 1 
to  3  at  the  end  of  the  report  provide  summary  information  for  some  of  the 
characteristics described in the report. Table 4 provides links to national LFS websites.  

For  more  detailed  information  on  the  legal  basis,  results,  common  practices,  methods 
and  definitions  of  the  European  Labour  Force  Survey,  see  the  EU  LFS  Statistics 
Explained website at:  

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/EU_labour_force_survey 

The information necessary for preparing this publication was mainly collected in 2015. 
Eurostat wishes to thank the experts responsible for the national labour force surveys in 
the Member States, Candidate and EFTA countries for their help in compiling the data 
presented in this report. 

(1) In some tables the abbreviation MK is used for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This is a provisional code which 
does  not  prejudice  in  any  way  the  definitive  nomenclature  for  this  country,  which  will  be  agreed  following  the  conclusion  of 
negotiations currently taking place on this subject at the United Nations. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

3

 
                                                           
Contents 

Preface .......................................................................................................................................... 3 
Contents ........................................................................................................................................ 4 
Characteristics of national surveys in 2014................................................................................... 5 
BELGIUM (BE)..........................................................................................................................................5 
BULGARIA (BG) .......................................................................................................................................6 
CZECH REPUBLIC (CZ)...........................................................................................................................9 
DENMARK (DK)......................................................................................................................................10 
GERMANY (DE) .....................................................................................................................................12 
ESTONIA (EE) ........................................................................................................................................14 
IRELAND (IE)..........................................................................................................................................16 
GREECE (EL) .........................................................................................................................................18 
SPAIN (ES) .............................................................................................................................................20 
FRANCE (FR) .........................................................................................................................................22 
CROATIA (HR) .......................................................................................................................................25 
ITALY (IT) ...............................................................................................................................................27 
CYPRUS (CY).........................................................................................................................................29 
LATVIA (LV)............................................................................................................................................30 
LITHUANIA (LT)......................................................................................................................................32 
LUXEMBOURG (LU) ..............................................................................................................................34 
HUNGARY (HU) .....................................................................................................................................35 
MALTA (MT) ...........................................................................................................................................37 
NETHERLANDS (NL) .............................................................................................................................38 
AUSTRIA (AT) ........................................................................................................................................40 
POLAND (PL) .........................................................................................................................................42 
PORTUGAL (PT) ....................................................................................................................................44 
ROMANIA (RO) ......................................................................................................................................46 
SLOVENIA (SI) .......................................................................................................................................48 
SLOVAKIA (SK) ......................................................................................................................................49 
FINLAND (FI) ..........................................................................................................................................51 
SWEDEN (SE) ........................................................................................................................................54 
UNITED KINGDOM (UK) ........................................................................................................................56 
ICELAND (IS)..........................................................................................................................................59 
NORWAY (NO) .......................................................................................................................................60 
SWITZERLAND (CH)..............................................................................................................................62 
FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA (MK)....................................................................64 
TURKEY (TR) .........................................................................................................................................66 
Annex (Tables) ............................................................................................................................ 68 

 4 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
Characteristics of national surveys in 2014 

BELGIUM (BE) 

General 

The survey started in 1983 as an annual survey, but has been continuous since January 
1999 providing quarterly and yearly results. 

The  survey  covers  the  entire  country.  Only  private  households,  where  at  least  one 
person is younger than 77, are included in the survey. 

Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The  household  is  the  unit  comprising  either  one  person  living  alone  or  two  or  more 
persons, whether or not of the same family, who usually occupy the same dwelling and 
live there together. 

Sampling plan 

The  planned  quarterly  sample  size  is  around  14 625  households,  which  represents  an 
average  sampling  rate  of  about  0.3%.  The  survey  is  based  on  a  two-level  stratified 
sampling  plan.  The  survey  base  is  the  National  Register  of  Persons,  which  is  derived 
from communal population registers. 

The entire national territory is divided into provinces (NUTS 2) forming 12 strata. The 
allocation  is  proportional  to  the  square  root  of  the  number  of  households  in  each 
province. This increases the sampling rate of the least-populated strata.  

Within  each  stratum,  two-stage  sampling  is  carried  out.  The  primary  units  comprise 
parts of the communes called ‘statistical sections’ (6 192 in the whole country, with 676 
households on average and covering 5 km² on average). Their probability of selection is 
proportional  to  the  number  of  households  in  them,  with  replacement  of  any  ‘small’ 
section (at most 27 households) by another section of the same municipality; the ‘small’ 
sections only represent 0.15% of the total number of households. 

The secondary sampling unit is the household. 

Within each primary unit, 23 households (in both the Flemish and Walloon region) or 
26 (in the Brussels region) are drawn at random using a method which ensures that the 
entire register of the primary unit in question is covered.  

The  overall  survey  rate  (secondary  units)  is  identical  for  all  municipalities  in  each 
stratum. 

No rotation system is applied. There is only one wave. 

Weighting procedure 

Extrapolation to the population, including adjustments for non-response, is done at the 
level of individuals, using a posteriori stratification by province (NUTS 2), sex and age 
(five-year  age  groups).  In  each  of  the  post-strata  thus  obtained,  a  weight  is  calculated 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

5

 
whose numerator is the population at the middle of the quarter according to the National 
Register of Persons and whose denominator is the number of usable responses. 

Data collection 

Detailed  information  (relating  to  individuals  aged  15  years  and  over)  is  collected  by 
means  of  face-to-face  interviews  in  the  three  or  four  weeks  following  the  reference 
week.  In  households  of  retired  persons,  interviews  can  be  conducted  by  telephone.  In 
2014  almost  all  interviews  are  carried  out  in  CAPI.  In  terms  of  initially  drawn 
households,  the  response  rate  was  72.2%.  Refusals  accounted  for  18.3%  of  the  total 
non-response.  In  2014,  19.0%  of  the  interviews  of  persons  aged  15-74  years  were 
carried out by proxy.  

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  CAPI is introduced (but most of the interviews still in PAPI). 

2008:  The  national  questions  and  instructions  about  education  and  training  take  into 
account the Bachelor/Master structure of higher education. As a consequence, a 
break is introduced between 2007 and 2008 for the level of education. 

2009:  Imputations of the earnings variable (net wages) based on the structure of 

earnings survey. 

2010:  Last revision of the questionnaire. Besides some textual changes the questions 
on the level of education have been revised. The single question recording the 
level of education was divided into several questions. 

2011:  Final shift to CAPI as the main collection method. 

2012:  Introduction of a new contact sheet in 2012 and changes on the household 

questionnaire 

2014:  Change (new formulation of the questions and answer modalities + extra 

questions) of the questions about level of education. 

BULGARIA (BG) 

General 

The  survey  started  in  1993,  providing  quarterly  results  from  2000  based  on  a  single 
reference week in the last month of the quarter. In 2003 the survey was redesigned as a 
continuous Labour Force Survey, providing quarterly results.  

The  survey  covers  the  whole  country.  Only  private  households  are  included.  Persons 
living in student hostels or in workers’ hostels are treated as private households. 

All  households  covered  in  the  sample  are  surveyed  within  three  months,  with  the 
reference period evenly spread throughout the 13 weeks of the quarter. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

 6 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
 
 
 
The  resident  population  includes  all  persons  usually  residing  in  Bulgaria,  including 
persons temporarily abroad (less than one year). The survey covers all the members of 
the  selected  households  including  people  absent  from  home  due  to:  business  trip, 
seasonal or temporal work, tourism, temporary (less than 6 months) stay in hospitals or 
other health care institutions and other.  

A household is defined as a group of two or more people living together in a dwelling 
or  a  part  of  a  dwelling  and  having  a  common  budget.  Any  person  living  in  a  self-
contained dwelling or part of it and has own budget in respect to expenses on food and 
other needs is considered as a single-person household. 

Sampling plan 

The Labour Force Survey is based on a two-stage stratified cluster sample. Clusters are 
the enumeration districts at the first stage and households at the second stage. In the first 
stage 2446 enumeration districts) are selected with probability proportional to the size. 
In the second stage within each primary sampling unit (PSU) a randomly equal number 
of eight households are selected. 

The LFS sample consists of four independent samples of PSUs, which correspond to the 
three months (blocks of four consecutive weeks) of a quarter and a sample for the 
thirteenth week of quarter). The monthly samples include by 752 PSUs, i.e. by 188 for 
each week and the sample for the last week of quarter includes 190 PSUs. 

The sample is stratified by district (28 administrative districts at NUTS 3 level), crossed 
with type of place of residence (three groups: district centre, other town, village). 

The  base  for  the  LFS  sample  is  provided  by  the  2011  Population  Census.  The 
enumeration districts and households in the sample have been selected from the list roll 
of enumeration districts and households prepared during the 2011 Population Census. 

The sample unit is the household. In total 19 568 households are sampled each quarter, 
corresponding to an overall sampling rate of 0.65%. 

A  2-(2)-2  rotation  pattern  is  used.  According  to  the  rotation  scheme  (applied  since 
March  1996)  half  of  the  households  (four  in  each  enumeration  district)  stay  in  the 
sample  for  two  consecutive  quarters.  Respondents  are  interviewed  in  two  consecutive 
quarters, then they are temporarily removed for the next two quarters and entered again 
for the following two quarters, thereafter being definitively removed from the survey. 

A  sub-sample  is  used  to  survey  most  of  the  structural  variables  in  Commission 
Regulation  (EC)  No  377/2008,  for  which  only  yearly  results  are  required.  The  sub-
sample is determined according to a wave approach, i.e. it includes the units of each full 
quarterly sample which, according to the rotation scheme, are interviewed for the third 
time (3rd wave). Thus the full sub-sample for the structural variables is spread over all 
the weeks of a year and has a theoretical size of about 19 568 households. 

Weighting procedure 

The weights are calculated in three steps: 

1.) Initial weights are obtained as inverse of inclusion probability of each household. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

7

 
2.) The initial weights are multiplied by correction factor for households' non-response 
which  is  calculated  separately  for  each  wave  as  ratio  between  the  total  number  of 
selected  households  in  a  stratum  and  the  number  of  interviewed  households  from  the 
same stratum. 

3.) In final step the intermediate (corrected for non-response) weights are calibrated to 
the  population  estimates  by  the  following  variables:  at  national  level  by  5-years  age 
group, sex and type of place of residence (urban/rural); at districts level (NUTS 3) by 3 
age groups (0-14, 15- 64, 65+), sex and type of place of residence (urban/rural). 

For  calculation  of  weights  the  population  estimates  as  of  the  end  of  previous  quarter  
(excluding the population, living in institutional households) are used. 

Data collection 

The data are collected in face-to-face interviews, using pencil and paper questionnaires. 
All persons in the household aged 15 years and over are interviewed. 

In  2014,  33.7%  of  the  interviews  of  persons  aged  15-74  years  were  carried  out  by 
proxy. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  76.3%.  Refusals  accounted  for  24.9%  of  the 
total non-response (2). 

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  

−  A new LFS questionnaire being used since the first quarter of 2006, increasing 

the number of available variables. 

−  WSTATOR  –  Parental  leave,  newly  introduced  in  Bulgaria,  is  taken  into 
account  to  determine  the  ILO  labour  status  and  is  considered  as  employment 
from which the person concerned was absent during the reference period. 

2007:   The new NUTS 2 codes introduced. 

2008: 

−  The  wave  approach  implemented  in  the  national  LFS  at  the  beginning  of  the 
year. Twenty five variables collected on an annual basis. The third wave is used 
for data collection of annual variables. 

−  Sample  size  increased  by  1 504  households  (to  a  total  sample  size  of  19 504 

households). 

−  Reference period extended to all 13 weeks of the quarter. 

−  No compulsory military service from the beginning of 2008. 

(2) Non-occupied dwellings are not taken into account in estimating the non-response rate. 

 8 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
                                                           
−  Several changes introduced to the questionnaire to match more closely the list of 

EU-LFS variables and explanatory notes.  

2012:  

−  Update of the sampling frame based on Census of Population 2011. 

−  Changes in the weighting procedure. 

CZECH REPUBLIC (CZ) 

General 

The survey has been conducted since December 1992 as a continuous quarterly survey, 
shifting from seasonal quarters to calendar quarters by the end of 1997. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The  target  population  comprises  all  persons  usually  living  in  the  selected  dwellings, 
disregarding  the  type  of  their  stay  there  (permanent,  temporary  or  non-registered). 
Temporarily absent persons (for less than one year) and domestic servants are included. 
It  does  not  cover  persons  (students,  workers,  migrants) 
in  collective 
accommodation.  Lodgers  are  considered  as  independent  budget-keeping  households. 
People living abroad are excluded.  

living 

Sampling plan 

The sampling plan is a stratified two-stage probability sample of dwelling units. 

The strata consist of 77 districts with Prague considered as one district. 

The primary sampling units (PSUs) are census areas that are sampled (by randomised 
systematic sampling) with probability proportional to size, i.e. the number of dwellings 
per census area, using the Register of Census Areas as a sampling frame. 

In  the  second  stage,  dwelling  units  are  selected  from  the  initial  sample  by  simple 
random sampling. 

The  initial  sample  of  PSUs  consists  of  the  5 650  census  areas,  while  the  approximate 
final sample size is 33 900 dwelling units per quarter, constituting an overall quarterly 
sampling fraction of 0.6%. Each quarterly sample consists of five panels interviewed for 
five quarters consecutively until rotated out of the sample. 

A sub-sample is used to survey some structural variables (mostly on atypical work, the 
situation one year before, and others) under Commission Regulation (EC) No 377/2008, 
for which only yearly results are required. The sub-sample is determined according to a 
wave approach, i.e. it includes the units of each full quarterly sample which, according 
to the rotation scheme, are interviewed for the first time (1st wave). 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

9

 
 
Weighting procedure 

The weights are based on post-stratification to 12 age groups, sex and the 77 districts. 
Demographic  figures  for  each  quarter  of  2014  were  forecasted  from  the  definitive 
demographic  data  for  end-of-year  2013,  taken  into  account  migration  and  natural 
increase of population. 

Data collection 

The  LFS  data  are  collected  in  first  visits  with  face-to-face  interviews,  with  repeat 
interviews being partly done by telephone (20%). The majority of the interviews were 
conducted with the assistance of electronic equipment (CAPI) with few exceptions. All 
persons aged 15 years or more and living in the sampled dwellings are interviewed. 

In  2014,  44.6%  of  the  interviews  of  persons  aged  15-74  years  were  carried  out  by 
proxy.  The  response  rate  was  79.4%.  Refusals  accounted  for  77.8%  of  the  total  non-
response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2011:  Implementation of the wave approach 

DENMARK (DK) 

General 

The survey started in 1984 as an annual survey, but has been organised as a continuous 
survey providing quarterly results since 1994. 

The entire country is covered, apart from Greenland and the Faroe Islands.  

The survey covers persons living in either private or collective households. 

There  is  no  specific  national  legislation  making  it  compulsory  to  provide  information 
for the survey, and participation is therefore voluntary. 

The  resident  population  comprises  persons  with  domicile  in  Denmark  (excluding 
Greenland and the Faeroe Islands) according to the Central Population Register. 

Sampling plan 

The  quarterly  sample  size  is  around  40 000  individuals  (aged  15-74  years),  which 
represents an average survey rate of approximately 0.93% for the quarterly survey. 

The sampling unit is the individual.  

A  stratified  sample  design  is  used.  The  sampling  frame  is  the  Central  Population 
Register  and  the  Unemployment  Register.  This  is  further  enhanced  with  information 
from the labour market register and the income register. 

Persons aged 16-64 years that were registered as unemployed in a specific quarter prior 
to the survey quarter are selected with a higher probability than their relative proportion 
of the total population. In total there are 7 strata since Q2 2009. The sizes of different 

 10 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
strata are adjusted according to which combination reduces the standard error the most 
for the variable labour market status. 

Respondents  are  surveyed  4  times:  First  time  in  the  initial  quarter,  then  the  following 
quarter, a third time a year apart from the initial quarter, and the final and fourth time 
the  quarter  thereafter.  This  implies  that  half  the  sample  is  renewed  each  quarter. 
Simultaneously with the fourth interview round the rest of the respondent’s household is 
also interviewed. 

Weighting procedure 

The strata are weighted separately. Weighting is performed by using a combination of 
sex, age group (15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 
65-74),  socio-economic  status,  income,  nationality,  level  of  education,  status  in  the 
unemployment register, region, and whether the dwelling place was recently changed or 
not.  

Data collection  

All  interviews  for  the  Danish  core  LFS  are  conducted  via  telephone  interviewing 
(CATI).  For  the  household  subsample  the  CATI  is  supplemented  with  computer-
assisted web interview (CAWI). Persons, in the first interviewing round, who could not 
be reached by telephone in the first two weeks or whose phone number cannot be found, 
undergo a manual process of phone number searching. For these persons the interview 
period is four weeks. Demographic information (e.g. sex, year of birth, marital status, 
and nationality), income and level of education, training and the year of completion are 
variables  obtained  from  the  statistical  registers  based  on  administrative  sources  (The 
Population Register and The Educational Statistical System). 

4.8% of the interviews with persons aged 15-74 years were carried out by proxy. 

The response rate was 53.8% in 2014. Refusals accounted for 23.8% of the total non-
response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2007:   - Sample size more than doubled. 

- Rotation scheme changed from 2-(3)-1 to 2-(2)-2. 

- More efficient use of auxiliary variables in weighting procedures. 

- Face-to-face interviewing used as supplementary data collection method. 

 2009:  - Sample size increased to 40 000 per quarter. 

- Sampling scheme changed from 3 strata to 7 strata. 

 2010:  - No more CAPI interviews are conducted. 

- Introduction of an extra module for the Danish institute of welfare research on 
the employment of disabled people in Q1. 

2011:   - At the end of 2011 the weights for the entire period back to 2007 were revised. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

11

 
GERMANY (DE) 

General 

The  Labour  Force  Sample  Survey  is  carried  out  as  part  of  the  annual  micro-census, 
which is based on the ‘micro-census law’. The micro-census has been carried out since 
1957  in  the  old  West  Germany,  and  since  1991  in  the  new  Bundesländer  and  East 
Berlin.  In  general  the  micro-census  is  compulsory.  Additionally,  the  questionnaire 
includes  optional  parts  of  the  LFS  and  other  special  national  programmes.  Starting  in 
2005 the survey was organised as a continuous survey covering all weeks of the year, 
providing quarterly results. The questionnaire was revised at the same time, especially 
questions relating to employment in the reference week. 

The  survey  covers  private  and  collective  households,  except  for  military  quarters.  A 
private  household  comprises  either  a  person  living  alone  or  two  or  more  persons, 
irrespective of their relationship. The members of a private household are characterised 
by  the  same  dwelling  and  common  housekeeping.  National  service  personnel  and 
students are included in their parents' households. 

The resident population (statistical population) includes all inhabitants with their main 
place of residence and their secondary residence in the territory of the Federal Republic. 
Foreign  armed  forces  and  members  of  the  diplomatic  corps  and  their  families  are 
excluded. 

The reference week is the week before the interview. 

Sampling plan 

Three sources are used for the sampling plan. The census data from 1987 constitute the 
survey base for the ‘old’ federal States. The central population register of the German 
Democratic Republic gives data for the ‘new’ federal States. Both statistics are annually 
updated  by  the  register  of  new  dwellings.  The  sample  is  an  area  sample  covering  all 
areas of Germany. Sampling units are the sampling districts comprising nine dwellings 
on average. Statistical units are the households in the sampling districts. 

All buildings are assigned to one of three strata, depending on the number of dwellings 
they comprise. The first stratum contains a number of buildings which are close to one 
another (but not necessarily contiguous) and comprise fewer than five dwellings. In this 
stratum,  each  sampling  district  comprises  about  12  dwellings.  The  second  stratum 
comprises  buildings  with  between  5  and  10  dwellings.  Each  of  these  buildings 
constitutes a sampling district. The buildings in the third stratum comprise 11 dwellings 
or  more.  In  this  stratum,  the  ‘sampling  district’  is  a  subdivision  of  the  building,  the 
target  size  being  6  dwellings.  An  additional  stratum  covers  the  population  living  in 
collective households. It is divided into sampling units with a target size of 15 persons. 

All persons in a selected sampling district are interviewed. 

The  sampling  districts  are  stratified  by  region  and  size  of  the  buildings.  The 
stratification by size of the buildings is based on the size classes used to work out the 
sampling units. The sampling rate is the same in each stratum. Within each stratum, an 
effect similar to stratification is obtained by systematic sampling in a list classified by 
geographical entity. 

 12 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
There  are  201  regions  which  comprise  an  average  of  350 000  inhabitants.  The  list  of 
sampling  districts  is  sorted  within  each  stratum  by  sub-region,  Kreis  (administrative 
district),  the  size  class  of  the  commune,  commune  and  number  of  the  sample  district. 
This list is divided into groups of 100 consecutive sampling districts. A sample of 1% is 
drawn  at  random  for  the  micro-census  in  each  of  these  groups  and  allocated  to  each 
month of the year.  

The  average  quarterly  sample  design  comprises  about  85 000  households, 
corresponding to a sampling rate of 0.25% of the households in the sampling districts.  

The  rotation  system  is  composed  of  four  waves  (rotation  quarters).  Each  sampling 
district  remains  in  the  sample  for  four  years  and  25%  of  the  sample  is  replaced  each 
year. Thus, the degree of overlapping between two consecutive yearly samples is 75%. 
In general no one is interviewed more than once a year. 

From 2006 to 2011 a sub-sample was used  for variables for which only yearly results 
are required (Annex I, Commission Regulation (EC) 377/2008). These variables are the 
ad-hoc-modules  and  those  structural  variables  which  are  no  micro-census  variables 
(SUPVISOR,  WAYJFOUN,  TEMPAGCY,  NEEDCARE).  The  sub-sample  was  a 
random  sample  out  of  the  full  sample.  Its  size  was  about  1/10  of  the  core  sample, 
corresponding to 0.1% of the population. From 2012 onwards the full sample is used for 
the complete LFS data collection. 

Weighting procedure 

A two-stage adjustment procedure is used. 

(a) 

(b) 

If  possible,  limited  data  are  collected  for  households  which  fail  to  respond. 
These  data  can  include:  number  of  members  of  the  household,  nationality 
(German/foreign),  and  for  households  comprising  only  one  person:  age  (under 
or  over  60  years)  and  sex.  From  this  data,  the  weightings  of  respondent 
households are increased to take account of non-responses in the region. 

The sample, weighted to take account of non-response, is stratified a posteriori 
by  region,  sex,  age  (<15,  15-44,  45+)  and  nationality  (German/EU  foreigners, 
non-EU  foreigners  (except  Turkey),  Turkey)  and  is  extrapolated  to  the 
population (adjusted in respect of military personnel).  

Data collection 

The  field  staff  of  the  14  statistical  offices  of  the  federal  states  comprises  about  1 800 
interviewers.  All  information  should  be  collected  by  face-to-face  interviews  (CAPI, 
about 74.6% of all interviews). Households that cannot be contacted by the interviewers 
(three attempts) or refuse face-to-face interviews are sent a questionnaire by post and a 
hotline  is  offered.    21.7%  of  the  respondents  give  a  written  response.  Besides  these 
collection methods a hotline for telephone interviews is offered. The share of telephone 
interviews are less than 3%. It is permissible for one person (18 years or older) to give 
answers for other household members. 

In 2014 26.0% of the interviews of persons 15-74 years old were carried out by proxy. 

The response rate in 2014 was 97.7%.  

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

13

 
Major changes in recent years 

2006:  Implementation of the wave approach 

2007:  Questionnaire changed to better capture ILO employment. 

2008:  Questionnaire  further  changed  to  match  more  closely  the  EU-LFS  operational 

guidelines for the definition of labour status.  

2009:   Respondents  registered  at  the  public  employment  office,  but  not  looking  for 

employment, are no longer classified as job seekers. 

2012:   The full sample is used for the EU-LFS data collection. 

2014:  Adaption  of  the  extrapolation  frame  based  on  2011  Census  data  and  in  this 

context revision of LFS data 2013, 2012 and 2011 

ESTONIA (EE) 

General 

The  Estonian  Labour  Force  Survey,  which  started  in  1997  as  an  annual  survey,  has 
since 2000 been organised as a continuous quarterly survey. 

The  survey  covers  the  whole  country.  Both  private  and  collective  households  are 
surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The target population comprises all persons aged 15-74 years with permanent residence 
in Estonia, i.e. those who have lived or intend to live in Estonia for more than one year. 

The household is made up either of persons living alone or of two or more persons who 
share a household budget and usually occupy the same dwelling. 

Sampling plan 

The  sample  size  per  quarter  is  about  3 350  households,  with  a  sampling  rate  of 
approximately 0.75% of the population aged 15-74 years. 

The sampling frame is based on the Population Census, comprising all resident persons 
aged 15-74 years. The last update of the sampling frame was in 2013. 

 The sampling design is a stratified systematic sampling of individuals. Individuals are 
selected  systematically  within  each  stratum  and  their  households  are  included  in  the 
sample. The 15 counties of Estonia and Tallinn are divided into four strata according to 
the population size (I – Tallinn, II – four bigger counties, III – ten smaller counties, IV – 
Hiiu  County) and  different  inclusion probabilities are used in strata, the highest being 
for Hiiu County. 

A 2-(2)-2 rotation pattern is used. Every quarter 36% of the households are participating 
in  the  survey  for  the  first  time.  Respondents  are  interviewed  in  two  consecutive 
quarters, then they are temporarily removed for the next two quarters and entered again 
for  the  following  two  quarters,  thereafter  being  definitively  removed  from  the  survey. 

 14 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
The proportion of first wave has been increased during last quarters to compensate for 
the high non-response in the first wave. Hence, the division of waves is approximately 
the following: 36% of the sampled households are participating first time, 25% second 
time, 20% third time and finally 19% fourth time. This procedure ensures a 44% sample 
overlap between consecutive quarters and a 39% sample overlap with the same quarter 
of the previous year. Respondents are divided according to their participation order as 
follows:  28%  in  the  first  wave,  17%  in  the  second  wave,  23%  in  the  third  wave  and 
22% in the fourth wave. 

Weighting procedure 

The weights are calculated in a sequence of steps. A weight resulting from the previous 
step is multiplied by the correction factor calculated at the current step. The correction 
factors  are  scaled  in  such  a  way  that  their  sample  average  is  unity  at  each  step.  As  a 
result, the final weight is a product of the initial weight and correction factors. 

As  stratified  sampling  is  used,  the  initial  weight  that  is  inversely  proportional  to  the 
inclusion probability in each stratum is calculated first. The initial weight also depends 
on the size of the household.  

For  non-response  adjustment  the  non-response  correction  factors  are  computed.  The 
homogeneous  response  groups  of  reasonably  uniform  size  of  sampled  households  are 
formed  on  the  basis  of  the  place  of  residence  of  the  household  according  to  the  non-
response  rate  in  the  region.  Within  each  group  the  correction  factor  is  inversely 
proportional to the overall response rate in the region. 

In  the  next  step  the  weights  are  calibrated  so  that  they  produce  exact  population 
numbers  in  certain  subgroups  known  from  demographic  data  (including  institutional 
population). For working-age persons the subgroups by sex, age (five-year age groups), 
place  of  residence  (urban/rural  area,  15  counties  (NUTS  4  level)  and  the  capital  city) 
and  Estonians/non-Estonians  are  considered.  For  this  purpose  the  linear  consistent 
weighting method is applied. 

For  non-working-age  persons  the  non-response  adjusted  household's  weights  are 
calibrated by sex and five-year age groups. 

Data collection 

Data  collection  method  is  CAPI.  Since  2012,  during  later  waves  (2nd,  3rd  and  4th 
waves)  in  exceptional  cases  interviews  may  be  carried  out  by  phone  (CATI).    All 
interviews  are  conducted  by  interviewers  of  the  Data  Collection  Department  of 
Statistics  Estonia.  Most  of  the  interviews  are  done  during  the  week  immediately 
following  the  reference  week  but  never  later  than  five  weeks  following  the  reference 
week  and  since  2012  never  later  than  during  the  three  weeks  following  the  reference 
week, since 2013 never later than during the two weeks following the reference week.. 

About 36.4% of the interviews of 15-74 year olds were by proxy in 2014. 

The response rate in 2014 was 68.7%. Refusals accounted for 43.6% of the total non-
response. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

15

 
Major changes in recent years 

2007:   Quarterly sample size increased from 2 500 to 3 000 households. 

2011:  Quarterly sample size increased to 3200 households. 

2013:  Quarterly  sample  size  increased  to  3400  households  and  Census  revisions 

(Population Census 2011). 

IRELAND (IE) 

General 

The  Quarterly  National  Household  Survey  started  in  September  1997,  replacing  the 
annual  April  Labour  Force  Survey  (1983-1997).  The  survey  is  a  continuous  one, 
providing quarterly results. From 1997 until 2008, the quarters referred to the seasonal 
quarters,  i.e.  the  winter  quarter  (1st  quarter)  refers  to  December  of  the  previous  year, 
January and February, and so on. However, in Q1 2009 the QNHS changed to provide 
data based on calendar quarters and the first quarter now refers to the months January-
March  inclusive.  The  population  comprises  persons  who  usually  reside  on  Irish 
territory. 

All the regions are covered. 

Only private households are included. 

The  private  household  is  made  up  either  of  persons  living  alone  or  of  two  or  more 
persons, whether or  not  of  the  same family, usually occupying the  same  dwelling and 
sharing a joint budget. 

There  is  no  specific  legislation  making  it  compulsory  to  provide  information  for  the 
survey. Participation is therefore voluntary. 

Sampling plan 

A two-stage sample design is used. With  the introduction of the new  sample  in  2012, 
the sample frame is stratified using administrative county and population density. In the 
first  stage  1,300  blocks  are  selected  using  Probability  Proportional  to  Size  (PPS) 
sampling.   In the second stage of sampling, each block is split into rotation groups each 
containing 20 households. Each quarter one rotation group from within a given block is 
surveyed to give a new total quarterly sample of 26,000 households, representing about 
1.6%  of  the  Irish  households.  The  level  of  achieved  sample  however  has  varied  over 
time  as  a  consequence  of  the  varying  number  of  interviewers  which  are  available  as 
well as the achieved response rate.  

 16 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
 
 
 
With the introduction of the new sample the primary stratification is Population Density 
where the Density is: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

> 100,000  

50,000 – 99,999 

20,000 – 49,999 

10,000 – 19,999 

5,000 – 9,999 

1,000 – 4,999 

<199 – 999 

Rural areas in counties 

2006  Census  of  Population  was  used  for  Q1  to  Q3  2013.  The  introduction  of  a  new 
sample  based  on  the  2011  Census  of  Population  began  in  Q4  2012  where  persons  in 
wave 1 interviews (5 waves used in Ireland) were taken from the 2011 Census. In Q4 
2013  the  entire  sample  was  based  on  the  new  2011  sample.  Households  are  asked  to 
take  part  in  the  survey  for  five  consecutive  quarters  and  are  then  replaced  by  other 
households  in  the  same  block.  Thus,  one  fifth  of  the  households  in  the  survey  are 
replaced  each  quarter  and  the  QNHS  sample  involves  an  overlap  of  80%  between 
consecutive quarters and 20% between the same quarters in consecutive years. 

Weighting procedure 

The expansion factor is to population totals. 

The survey results are weighted to agree with population estimates broken down by age 
(five-year age groups), sex and region (NUTS 3 regions). Results are then calibrated to 
broad national totals by broad age groups (0-14 and 15+) and gender. The estimates are 
calculated as follows: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

The  previous  quarter’s  population  estimate  or  census  of  population  at  regional 
level is used as the base population. 

A quarter of this population is aged on by 1 year. 

Births  for  the  relevant  period  are  added  to  each  region  –  source  =  registered 
births. 

Deaths for relevant period are subtracted from each region – source = registered 
deaths. 

Net migration (inflows from other regions minus outflows to other regions plus 
inflows from abroad minus outflows to abroad) is added to each region – main 
source  =  Quarterly  National  Household  Survey  (QNHS  –  formerly  annual 
Labour Force Survey). 

The result is the new population estimate at regional level. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

17

 
Data collection 

Interviews  are  carried  out  on  a  face-to-face  basis  with  the  help  of  portable  computers 
(CAPI). All the information is obtained by interview. 

On average in 2014, 50.5% of the interviews were carried out by proxy. 

In  terms  of  the  blocks  covered  in  2014,  the  response  rate  was  76.1%.  Refusals 
accounted for 32.4% of the total non-response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2009:   Update  of  survey  to  collect  data  on  a  calendar  quarter  basis  rather  than  a 

seasonal basis. 

2012:   Introduction  of  a  new  sample  based  on  the  2011  Census  of  Population 

(completed in Q4 2013). 

GREECE (EL) 

General 

The  survey  started  in  1981  as  an  annual  survey  covering  all  weeks  of  the  second 
quarter. In 1998 it was redesigned as a continuous survey providing quarterly results. 

It covers only private households. Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The resident population comprises persons who are staying (or intend to stay) at least 1 
year in Greece. 

Sampling plan 

The sampling frame is based on the 2001 census. The sampling frame was completely 
updated in between the 1st quarter of 2009 and the 2nd quarter of 2010. The sampling 
design is a two-stage probability sampling of dwellings. Each area unit (primary unit — 
one  or  more  building  blocks)  of  the  stratum  has  a  probability  of  being  selected 
proportional to its size (number of households in the last population census of the year 
2001). In the second stage the sample of dwelling units is selected from each primary 
unit with systematic selection with equal probabilities. If more than one household lives 
in the selected dwelling, all of them are interviewed. 

The 
theoretical  quarterly  sample  size 
corresponding to a sampling rate of about 0.86%. 

is  approximately  33 000  households, 

In  each  Department  (NUTS  3),  the  stratification  of  primary  units  is  conducted  by 
allocating  the  Municipalities  and  Communes  according  to  the  degree  of  urbanisation 
(urban,  semi-urban,  and  rural  regions).  Except  for  the  two  major  city  agglomerations 
(Athens and Thessaloniki)  the  strata  produced according to the degree of urbanisation 
are: 

Urban Stratum: Agglomerations and Municipalities with 10 000 inhabitants or more  

Semi-urban Stratum: Municipalities and Communes with 2 000 to 9 999 inhabitants  

 18 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
Rural Stratum: Communes up to 1 999 inhabitants 

taking 

The Greater Athens Area is divided into 31 strata of about equal size (equal number of 
households) on the basis of the lists of city blocks of the municipalities that constitute it 
and 
the  Greater 
into  consideration  socio-economic  criteria.  Similarly, 
Thessaloniki Area is divided into nine equally sized strata. All other NUTS 3 areas are 
divided into two or three final strata. The two Major City Agglomerations account for 
40% of the total population and for even larger percentages in certain socio-economic 
variables.  

A  rotation  system  comprising  six  waves  is  used.  Respondents  are  questioned  every 
quarter, for six consecutive quarters. Every quarter, one sixth of the sample is replaced.   

Weighting procedure 

The survey weights are adjusted every quarter so that the estimated (from  the survey) 
total  population  coincides  with  the  estimated  (from  the  projection  of  the  2001  census 
results)  population  by  region  (NUTS  2),  age  groups,  and  sex  (for  the  members  of 
private households). 

Data collection 

Interviews are carried out on a face-to-face basis with paper questionnaires or portable 
computers, in the first wave. During waves 2 to 5, telephone interviews are also carried 
out.  

41.4% of the interviews of persons aged 15-74 years were carried out by proxy. 

The  response  rate  in  2014  was  75.4%  Refusals  accounted  for  26.8%  of  the  total  non-
response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2008:  Households  with  all  members  aged  70  years  or  more  interviewed  only  in  the 
first wave and no longer in all waves (except in the second quarter, when the age 
limit was set to 74 because of the ad hoc module).  

Introduction of NACE Rev2 for the classification of economic activity 

2009:  Questions for variables full time/ part time, permanent/temporary, job search 

and participation to non-formal education reformulated. Information on the 
regional level NUTS 3 is included in the data set. 

2011: Introduction of ISCO-08 for the classification of occupation 

2013: Introduction of CATI as an additional mode of data collection 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

19

 
 
SPAIN (ES) 

General 

The Spanish Labour Force Survey was launched for the first time in 1964, referring to 
some  quarters  in  each  year  until  1968.  Between  1969  and  1974  it  was  biannual,  but 
quarterly  from  1975.  In  1999  the  survey  was  redesigned  as  a  continuous  survey 
providing  quarterly  results.  Since  2005  the  survey  provides  quarterly  results  for  core 
variables, but annual results for structural variables. 

Since 1996 the survey is compulsory as it was included in the yearly statistical program. 

The  population  residing  in  private  households  is  covered,  including  servants;  persons 
living in collective households and persons who are temporarily absent are sampled via 
relatives  living  in  private  households.  Foreign  nationals  are  included  in  the  resident 
population if they have lived or intend to live in Spain for more than one year. 

The household concept used is that of the ‘dwelling household’ (all people living in the 
dwelling are interviewed). 

Sampling plan 

In 2014, the quarterly theoretical sample size is about 69 000 dwellings, corresponding 
to a sampling rate of approximately 0.5% of the dwellings in the country.   

An  increase  of  the  sample  size  took  place  in  the  third  quarter  of  2009.  This  was  in 
response to a specific need raised by the Administration of the Autonomous Community 
of Galicia.  

The sampling is a two-stage sampling procedure with stratification of the primary units. 
First-stage units are geographical areas in which all the country is split. These areas are 
stratified  within  each  province,  using  the  population  size  of  the  municipality.  Within 
each stratum, the areas are sub-stratified according to the socio-economic characteristics 
of the population. 

Second-stage units are private households (dwelling units). 

The sample is made up of six rotation groups. Households, once selected, remain in the 
sample for six consecutive quarters before being replaced. In any quarter, households of 
one wave are receiving the first interview; households of another wave are receiving the 
second interview, and so on. 

Each quarter, the household sample in one sixth of the primary unit sampled is replaced 
by  a  new  sample.  Thus,  there  is  an  83%  potential  overlap  in  the  samples  for  each 
consecutive quarter. The current sample size of primary units, is 3 822 and the average 
sample  size  of  the  secondary  units  in  each  area  is  in  general  18  but  22  in  the  big 
metropolitan areas. 

Units are selected in such a way as to obtain self-weighted samples within each stratum. 
The  first-stage  units  are  selected  with  probability  proportional  to  the  size  and  second-
stage units are selected with equal probability. 

A sub-sample is used to survey the structural variables in Commission Regulation (EC) 
No 377/2008, for which only yearly results are required. The sub-sample is determined 

 20 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
according  to  a  wave  approach,  i.e.  it  includes  the  units  of  each  full  quarterly  sample 
which, according to the rotation scheme, are interviewed for the sixth and last time (6th 
wave). Thus the full sub-sample for the structural variables is spread over all the weeks 
of a year and has an effective size of about 40 000 dwelling units.  

Weighting procedure 

The design uses Ratio Estimator and the auxiliary variable is the Population Projection 
at stratum level. 

Every  quarter,  population  projections  by  age  group  (0–15  years  and  16  years  +)  and 
Spanish  provinces  (in  general  corresponding  to  NUTS  3  regions)  are  calculated. 
Projections by age and region are distributed by stratum in proportion to the population 
of each stratum. In each stratum, age group and region, the weighting is determined by 
the ratio of the projection to the sample size. 

The sample is then calibrated in order to adjust to the population distribution. Auxiliary 
information used is in the form of population estimates by sex and five-year age groups 
and  household  size  (5  groups  of  1,  2,  3,  4  and  5+  inhabitants)  at  NUTS  2  level 
(Comunidades  Autónomas),  the  nationality  of  the  population  aged  16  and  more 
(national/non-national) at NUTS 2 level and by sex and 3 aggregated age groups (16-29, 
30-49, 50+) and region (NUTS 3 or provinces). 

A  linear  weighting  method  is  used,  in  which  each  member  of  the  household  aged  16 
years and over has the same weight. 

Data collection 

All  the  information  is  collected  by  interview.  The  first  interviews  are  personal  ones. 
Interviews  in  the  second  and  subsequent  waves  are  carried  out  by  telephone,  except 
when the family wants a personal interview or there is no telephone. All interviews are 
done with the help of portable computers. Since 2005 telephone interviews are carried 
out through the CATI system that, apart from management of the telephone interviews, 
allows the interviews to be checked on-line. 

52.5% of the interviews of persons aged 16-74 years were carried out by proxy. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  84.7%.  Refusals  accounted  for  43.4%  of  the 
total non-response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2005:  Variable nationality (Spanish or foreigner) included as a new auxiliary variable, 

for calibration.  

2006:  Implementation of the wave approach. 

2014:  Updated  figures  from  2002  onwards,  according  to  the  2011  Census  and  new 
auxiliary  variables  for  calibration.  The  new  variables  used  for  this  calibration 
are: Size of the household (5 groups) and 3 groups of age for each sex at NUTS 
3 level. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

21

 
 
FRANCE (FR) 

General 

The  French  Labour  Force  Survey  started  in  1950  and  was  organised  in  1954  as  an 
annual  survey.  Redesigned  in  2003,  the  survey  is  now  a  continuous  survey  providing 
quarterly results. 

The survey covers private households living in their main residences in  

in  France,  except  Mayotte.  Since  the  first  quarter  of  2014,  overseas  departements 
(Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, La Réunion) have been covered, with the exception 
of  Mayotte.  Mayotte  is  covered  by  a  specific  annual  survey.  This  annual  survey 
concerned the four other overseas departments till 2013, before they joined the French 
quarterly LFS in 2014. 

It  includes  part  of  the  population  living  in  collective  households,  i.e.  the  persons  who 
have  family  ties  with  private  households.  Yet  these  persons  are  not  included  in  the 
results; the target population is the population living in private households. 

Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The resident population comprises persons living on French metropolitan territory. 

The household concept used is that of the ‘dwelling household’: a household means all 
persons living in the same dwelling. For instance, it may consist of a single person, or 
of two families living in the same dwelling. 

Sampling plan 

All  individuals  15  years  old  or  over  in  the  household  are  surveyed.  However,  the 
questions relating to employment status are simplified for people aged 75 or more. 

All weeks of the year are reference weeks. Data collection is continuous throughout the 
entire  year.  The  quarterly  sample  is  evenly  spread  over  its  13  reference  weeks  (or  14 
weeks). 

The  results  are  quarterly.  Each  quarter  consists  of  13  (or  14)  reference  weeks.  The 
sample is representative for the population in metropolitan France each quarter. 

Since  the  beginning  of  2009,  there  has  been  a  new  sample  in  Metropolitan  France 
(selected  from  tax  registers),  additional  to  the  'old'  one  (selected  from  the  1999 
Population  census).  This  new  sample,  independent  from  the  old  one,  entered 
progressively in the scope one sixth at a time. The aim was to increase the total size of 
the LFS sample of 50% towards the second quarter of 2010. Afterwards, the old sample 
was progressively replaced by the new one. The replacement was completely achieved 
on Q4 2011. 

The sample in overseas departments is selected in the annual population census. It has 
been  progressively  introduced  from  Q1  2013,  to  be  fully  operational  in  Q1  2014  in 
accordance with the rotation scheme. In practice, two subsamples entered in the scope 
in  Q1  2013  (one  of  these  two  subsamples  being  exceptionally  surveyed  only  five  - 
instead of six - consecutive quarters) ; a third one then entered in Q2 2013, a fourth one 

 22 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
in Q3 2013, a fifth one in Q4 2013 and finally a last one in Q1 2014 to get a completed 
sample in overseas departments from the beginning of 2014.    

For Metropolitan France, the base is the tax registers. The sample is updated each year 
with new information and a sample of new dwellings is added. As from Q4 2011, only 
tax  registers  are  used  as  sampling  frame  in  Metropolitan  France.  The  sample  is 
composed  of  clusters  of  dwellings  units.  For  overseas  departments,  the  base  is  the 
French  annual  population  census.  Q4  of  year  N  and  Q1,  Q2  and  Q3  of  year  N+1  are 
selected from the population Census of year N-3.   

For  Metropolitan  France,  the  sampling  design  consists  in  a  selection  of  around  3200 
geographic  sectors  with  a  stratified  and  balanced  method.  The  stratification  is  carried 
out by NUTS2. The balanced sampling uses the following variables: age, income, type 
of  dwelling,  type  of  urban/rural  areas,  resident  status  (owner/tenant).  For  overseas 
departments,  the  sample  is  composed  of  dwellings  selected  through  a  stratified 
systematic  sampling  (systematic  sampling  with  equal  inclusion  probabilities,  within 
geographic strata which form a partition of the territory). 

The sample unit is the dwelling: in each sampled area, every person living in its main 
residence  is  surveyed.    For  Metropolitan  France,  the  sectors  are  cut  into  6  clusters  of 
nearby dwellings, in such a way that there be around 20 main residences in each cluster. 
Inside  the  sectors,  each  cluster  is  randomly  assigned  a  number  between  1  and  6;  this 
number  determines  when  the  cluster  enters  the  sample,  each  cluster  is  interviewed  6 
times and then replaced by another cluster of the same sector. For overseas departments, 
dwellings  are  directly  selected  within  strata  through  a  systematic  sampling  with  equal 
inclusion probabilities. Strata sample sizes are proportional to the total numbers of main 
residences in the strata. 

In  2014,  each  quarter,  about  73000  dwellings  (main  residences)  are  sampled,  which 
represents an average sampling rate of about 0.25%.  

Each  cluster  is  surveyed  during  six  consecutive  quarters.  Each  quarter,  the  sample 
contains  six  sub-samples:  1/6  of  the  sample  is  surveyed  for  the  first  time,  1/6  is 
surveyed for the second time,…, 1/6 is surveyed for the sixth (and last) time. 

A  sub-sample  is  used  for  all  the  yearly  variables.  The  sub-sample  is  determined 
according  to  a  wave  approach,  i.e.  it  includes  the  units  of  each  full  quarterly  sample 
which, according to the rotation scheme, are interviewed for the first time (1st wave). 
Thus the full sub-sample is spread over all the weeks of a year and has a size of about 
45 000 dwellings with at least one respondent. 

Weighting procedure 

The grossing-up factor is the estimated number of persons living in private dwellings. 

1. 

A correction for non-response is made, using several criteria: size of urban unit, 
number of rooms in the housing, type of housing (individual house, building…), 
number of new dwellings and region, income of the households (deciles), age of 
the  inhabitants,  social  housing  or  not,  rented  accommodation  or  property  for 
Metropolitan  France;  type  of  housing,  micro-region  (infra-NUTS3),  being 
respondent or not during the previous quarter for overseas departments. Another 
correction  for  non-response  is  made  using  the  answers  to  the  “non-response 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

23

 
survey”  (NRS):  the  employment  and  unemployment  ratios  are  adjusted  to  the 
ones  obtained  when  including  the  respondents  to  the  NRS  survey  within  the 
LFS. 

2. 

An adjustment to the population estimates (at the middle of the quarter) by five-
year  age  groups  and  gender,  at  NUTS  2  level,  is  made  (for  each  of  the  6 
independent sub-samples in Metropolitan France, for each department regarding 
overseas).  An  adjustment  is  also  made  on  the  number  of  dwellings  and  the 
number  of  newly-built  dwellings,  and,  for  overseas  departments,  on  some 
geographic and socio-demographic characteristics from the sampling frame. 

Data collection 

The  collection  method  is  a  face-to-face  interview  (CAPI)  on  the  first  and  the  last 
occasions and intermediate telephone interviews (CATI) (2nd to 5th waves).  27.8% of 
the interviews were carried out by proxy. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  79.1%.  Among  the  non-response,  refusals 
amounted to 17.7%. 

Major changes in recent years 

2007:  Change in the weighting scheme:  

a) 

b) 

The  sample  is  now  expanded  to  the  number  of  persons  in  private 
households and no longer to the total population (i.e. including persons 
in collective households);  

NUTS 2 was added as a post-stratification variable. These changes have 
been implemented to previous data since 2003; 

           Results of the supplementary non-response survey incorporated in the final 

results from the LFS (via the weighting process). 

2009/2010:  Completion of the gradual increase of the sample size (from first quarter 

2009 to the second quarter 2010).  

2011: 

2013: 

2014: 

Completion  of  the  replacement  of  the  sample  from  the  Population 
Census by the new sample from the tax registers from 2011 Q4 onwards.  

Substantial  revision  of  the  French  LFS,  including  modifications  of  the 
questionnaire and a redesign of the IT tool. The renovated French LFS is 
in place from Q1 2013 onwards. 

Overseas  departments  (Guadeloupe,  Martinique,  Guyane,  La  Réunion), 
except  Mayotte,  have  joined  the  French  quarterly  LFS,  which  covered 
only Metropolitan France until 2013. 

 24 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
 
 
CROATIA (HR) 

General 

The  Labour  Force  Survey  in  Croatia  was  carried  out  for  the  first  time  in  November 
1996 and in June 1997. From 1998 to 2006 the survey was semi-annual, i.e. data were 
processed and published each half-year. Interviews were carried out every month on a 
part  of  the  total  sampled  households.  Since  2007  the  Survey  is  a  continuous  one,  i.e. 
interviews cover all the weeks of the year, producing quarterly results. 

The Labour Force Survey covers the whole country. The target population comprises all 
persons who usually reside in Croatia or intend to stay in Croatia for at least 12 months. 
Only private households are surveyed and participation is voluntary. Excluded from the 
survey are household members living at some other address where they work or go to 
school  for  more  than  12  months,  as  well  as  temporarily  present  members  of  another 
household.  The  Survey  does  not  cover  collective  households  such  as  student  homes, 
convents etc.  

The  household  is  a  small  economic  group  of  persons  that  is  usually,  although  not 
always, a group of relatives living together and sharing costs of living (housing, food, 
etc.). 

Sampling plan 

The sampling design is a two-stage stratified sample. First-stage sampling frame is a list 
of  area  units  called  segments  (PSU).  Starting  with  2014,  stratification  is  done  by  two 
NUTS2 regions and both of them further divided in urban and rural part, so, 4 strata at 
final.  CBS  experts  have  used  square  root  of  proportional  allocation  to  disperse  more 
sampling units more across the country territory. All members of all private households 
in dwellings are interviewed. 

Segments are selected by PPS systematic sampling, where measure of size of segment is 
number  of  private  households  in  segment  according  to  Population  Census  2011.  They 
are used for a whole year. Within selected segments in second stage, dwellings (SSU) 
are selected by simple random sampling. Since 2007 the LFS is a continuous quarterly 
survey. After selecting a sample of segments, 13 (number of weeks in a quarter) non-
overlapping  sub-samples  of  segments  are  selected  from  sample  of  segments  by 
systematic sampling (for every week in the quarter). 

The sample units are dwellings. In each quarter, the sample consists of approximately 
5600 dwellings, corresponding to a quarterly sampling rate of about 0.3% of inhabited 
dwellings  (according  to  Census  2011).  All  members  of  all  private  households 
permanently  living  in  these  dwellings  are  interviewed.  In  selected  dwellings  4.843 
households were contacted.   

Since  2007,  a  2-(2)-2  panel  component  has  been  introduced  in  the  sample  design  and 
households  are  interviewed  four  times.  They  are  interviewed  in  two  consecutive 
quarters, left out in the following two quarters and interviewed again in two consecutive 
quarters.  

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

25

 
Weighting procedure 

The weights are calculated in several steps. 

First,  design  weights  are  calculated  as  the  inverse  of  overall  sampling  probabilities. 
Sampling  probabilities  for  persons  are  sampling  probabilities  for  segments  times 
sampling  probabilities  for  dwellings  times  1  (all  households  are  selected)  times  1  (all 
persons  are  interviewed).  (Obviously,  design  weights  for  dwellings,  households  and 
persons are the same.) 

Secondly, the non-response weights are calculated using the weighting classes method. 
There  are  57  41  weighting  classes.  In  Croatia,  21  municipalities  are  officially  divided 
into two groups, according to the level of urbanisation except City of Zagreb which is 
all urban. Non-response weights are inverses of weighted response rates (response rates 
are weighted by design weights). 

At the end, calibration was used for adjustment weighting. Distributions of the  5-year 
age  groups,  gender,  NUTS2  regions  and  household  size)  for  the  subsample  of 
respondents  were  calibrated  to  known  auxiliary  information  from  Census  2011.  It 
reduced sampling error, effecting the ‘old’ weights, but in limits of previously defined 
constraints in CALMAR software. Bounded linear method was used for calibration, and 
lower limit was set on 0.5, and upper on 3. 

Data collection 

Data are collected by face-to-face interviews, using paper questionnaires.  

In 2014 the average response rate was 68.7%. Refusals accounted for 61.2% of the total 
non-response. 

In 2014, 46.3% of the interviews of persons aged 15-74 years were by proxy. 

Major changes in recent years 

2007:  

−  Move to a continuous survey,  

−  Data available at NUTS 2 level,  

−  Quarterly results available,  

−  Yearly sample size doubled,  

−  Rotation scheme changed to 2-(2)-2 

2014: 

−  Harmonization of educational variables (HATLEVEL, EDUCLEVL) according 

to ISCED 2011 

 26 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
ITALY (IT) 

General 

The Italian Labour Force Survey was launched as a quarterly survey in 1959. Since the 
first quarter of 2004 the survey is a continuous one, covering all the weeks of the year. 
The labour status for each interviewed person is referred to a specific week (reference 
week),  usually  the  one  preceding  the  interview.  Survey  results  are  produced  and 
disseminated  on  a  quarterly  basis  and  once  a  year  as  annual  average.  Since  October 
2009,  main  indicators  on  the  labour  market  have  been  disseminated  on  monthly  basis 
too. 

The reference population is the resident population, which is the population recorded in 
the registry offices in the Italian municipalities. All the Italian regions are covered. Only 
private households are included in the sample. Private households are made up either of 
persons  living  alone  or  of  two  or  more  persons,  whether  or  not  of  the  same  family, 
usually living in the same dwelling and with family (marriage, relationships, adoption, 
guardianship)  or  affection  ties.  Non-resident  households,  people  not  living  in  private 
households  and  household  members  emigrated  abroad  or  absent  from  the  selected 
household for more than one year are not covered. 

Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

Sampling plan 

In 2014 the quarterly sample size was on average 71 536 households, giving sampling 
fraction of about 0.28%. 

The  sample  design  is  a  two-stage  sampling  with  stratification  of  the  primary  units; 
municipalities are primary units, households are final units. 

Stratification of primary units is carried out in each NUTS 3 domain and is based on the 
population  of  the  municipalities.  Large  municipalities,  with  population  over  a  given 
threshold  (also  called  self-representative  municipalities),  are  always  included  in  the 
sample; smaller municipalities (non-self-representative) are grouped in strata, then one 
municipality in each stratum is selected with probability proportional to the population. 

The  final  sampling  units  are  the  households  and  they  are  randomly  selected  from  the 
registry offices in all the municipalities drawn at the first stage. 

The  households  are  rotated  according  to  a  2-(2)-2  rotation  scheme.  Households  are 
interviewed during two consecutive quarters. After a two-quarters break, they are again 
interviewed twice in the corresponding two quarters of the following year. As a result, 
each household is included in four waves of the survey. 

Weighting procedure 

The  calibration  estimator  is  used  to  obtain  LFS  estimates.  Grossing-up  weights  are 
determined as follows: 

1. 

Firstly, initial weights are obtained as the inverse of the inclusion probabilities 
of any household in the sample. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

27

 
2. 

3. 

Then,  correction  factors  for  households'  non-response  are  worked  out  as  the 
reciprocal of the response ratios (computed for specific kinds of households and 
territorial  domains).  Intermediate  weights  corrected  for  non-response  are  then 
computed multiplying initial weights by these correction factors. 

Then,  starting  from  intermediate  weights,  final  grossing  weights  are  obtained 
solving a minimisation problem under constraints. The function to be minimised 
is the distance between final and intermediate weights; the constraints regard the 
estimates  of  some  auxiliary  variables  that  have  to  be  equal  to  the  totals  in  the 
reference  population  derived  from  external  sources.  Main  constraints  are 
population by gender and 14 5-year age groups at NUTS 2 level and population 
by gender and 5 age groups of different width at NUTS 3 level. Final weights 
ensure that all members of a given household have the same weight.  

Through  the  calibration  estimator,  applying  final  grossing-up  weights,  the  sample 
reproduces  the  same  distribution  of  the  population  according  to  the  chosen  auxiliary 
variables. 

Grossing-up  weights  are  computed  on  a  monthly  and  on  a  quarterly  basis,  whereas 
annual estimates are calculated as averages of quarterly estimates. 

Data collection 

The  information  is  collected  through  computer-assisted  personal  (CAPI)  or  telephonic 
(CATI) interviews, carried out by professional interviewers. CAPI mode is usually used 
for  the  1st  wave,  whereas  CATI  mode  is  usually  used  for  later  waves.  Households 
without a telephone and non-Italian households are interviewed always by CAPI mode. 

The response rate in 2014 was 88.2%. Refusals accounted for approximately 28.8% of 
the  total  non-response.  18.0%  of  the  interviews  of  persons  aged  15-74  years  in  2014 
were by proxy. 

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  Changes  to  the  questionnaire  to  take  into  account  the  legal  suppression  of 
compulsory military or community service and to fully tie in with the EU-LFS 
definition of unemployment.  

2008:  From the first quarter 2008, people aged 15 are considered as out of the labour 
force, to take into account a change in the national legislation which increased 
the number of years of compulsory education. Employment and activity rates are 
still  computed  with  reference  to  the  working  age  population  15-64  to  keep  the 
comparability.  As  very  few  15  year  olds  are  employed  or  unemployed,  the 
impact on time-series is negligible. 

2009:  Small changes, in particular in the question wording of some national variables, 

to improve the adherence with the 2008 EU-LFS explanatory notes. 

2011:  Considering  that  the  transitions  from  inactivity  to  employment  of  people  aged 
75  years  or  more  are  almost  null,  in  order  to  avoid  statistical  burden  on  this 
target population and in particular to reduce the costs of data collection, from the 
1st quarter 2011, the households composed by all members inactive and aged 75 
years  or  more  are  no  longer  re-interviewed.  In  these  cases  the  information 

 28 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
collected  during  the  last  available  interview  are  copied  for  the  next  waves  in 
which  the  household  would  be  involved.  This  innovation  will  be  continually 
monitored and may be revised in the presence of significant transition rates. 

2012:  In 2012 a new stratification of the municipalities was made, to take into account 
updated  information  on  their  population  and  a  reduction  of  the  sample  size  by 
about 9% due to budget cuts. Consequently a new selection of the municipalities 
has been done, the new selected municipalities entered in the sample in the third 
quarter 2012. Due to rotation scheme, for 5 quarters until 2013Q3, old and new 
sampling designs have been overlapped. 

Starting from 2012 the new classification NUTS-2010 has been adopted, leading 
to  the  definition  of  three  new  provinces  at  NUTS  3  level  and  seven 
municipalities were moved from one NUTS 2 category to another. 

2015:    On  January  2015  new  population  figures  were  available  for  the  period  2002-
2014, according to the results of the 2011 Population Census, Post Enumeration 
Survey of the 15th Italian population census and administrative register updates 
for the post census period. Consequently LFS weights have been recalculated for 
the period 2004Q1-2014Q3. 

CYPRUS (CY) 

General 

The  Cypriot  Labour  Force  Survey  was  launched  in  1999  as  an  annual  survey  in  the 
second  quarter  of  the  year.  Starting  with  the  second  quarter  2004,  the  survey  was 
redesigned as a continuous survey providing quarterly results. 

The survey covers the areas of Cyprus controlled by the Government of the Republic of 
Cyprus. Only private households are covered. 

Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The  resident  population  comprises  persons  who  usually  reside  in  Cyprus  or  intend  to 
stay in Cyprus for at least 12 months. It excludes Cypriot students studying abroad as 
well  as  foreign  armed  forces  and  foreigners  who  work  in  embassies  or  diplomatic 
missions. 

Sampling plan 

The  sampling  plan  is  stratified  and  within  each  stratum  simple  random  sampling  is 
applied.  The  sample  frame  refers  to  the  number  of  households  enumerated  in  the 
Population Census of 2011. This list is updated by new enumerations every year. 

The  variables  used  for  stratification  are  the  Districts  and  the  urban/rural  areas  within 
each district. 

The sampling  unit  within each stratum is the household. The sample is proportionally 
distributed according to the number of households in 9 strata. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

29

 
 
Refusals,  non-contacts  (households  absent  for  more  than  one  month)  and  households 
unable to respond are not substituted.  

The  theoretical  quarterly  sample  size  is  approximately  4600  households,  which 
represents an average sampling rate of about 1.5%. 

Each  sample  consists  of  six  waves,  five  of  which  are  carried  over  from  the  previous 
quarter. Each household is interviewed six times consecutively before being rotated out 
of the sample. 

Weighting procedure 

The results are weighted a posteriori to the population households by sex and five-year 
age groups. No district or urban/rural weighting is carried out.  

Data collection 

Data  are  collected  with  face-to-face  interviews  using  CAPI  in  the  first  wave.  Data  in 
subsequent  waves  (2-6)  are  collected  through  telephone  interviews  using  CATI.  The 
response  rate  in  2014  was  95.8%.  Refusals  accounted  for  67.3%  of  the  total  non-
response. 

The number of proxy interviews of persons aged 15-74 years was 32.5% in 2014. 

Major changes in recent years 

2013:  Introduction of a new sample frame (Population Census 2011) and change of the 

sample design. 

LATVIA (LV) 

General 

The Latvian Labour Force Survey started in November 1995, producing results in May 
and November each year. In 2002 the survey was redesigned as a continuous survey and 
results are produced each quarter. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The target population comprises all persons aged 15 to 74 years who are permanently 
resident in Latvia. Persons temporarily absent for one year or more are excluded. 

A  private  household  is  defined  as  several  persons  living  in  one  dwelling  and  sharing 
expenditures or one person having separate housekeeping. 

 30 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
 
Sampling plan 

The sampling plan is a stratified two-stage sampling design. 

Two  sampling  frames  are  built  for  each  sampling  stage  due  to  two-stage  sampling  is 
used.  At  the  first  stage  the  list  of  sampling  areas  is  used  as  sampling  frame.  The 
sampling areas are originally created from the list of population census counting areas 
2000  and  revised  according  to  the  Population  register  data  in  2009.  The  list  contains 
information about the number of dwellings in each sampling area. At the second stage 
sampling frame is built from the Demographic Statistics Data Processing System. The 
Demographic Statistics Data Processing System includes data from Population register, 
The  National  Real  Estate  Cadastre  Information  System  etc.  The  strata  are  defined  by 
degree of urbanisation (Riga, eight other cities of the Republic, towns and rural areas). 

The  sampling  areas  are  selected  from  each  stratum  using  systematic  sampling  with 
probability proportional to size. The final sampling units are selected from the PSUs by 
a  simple  random  sampling  method  in  each  sampled  PSU.  In  2014,  the  quarterly 
theoretical sample size was about 7400 dwellings, corresponding to a sampling rate of 
approximately 0.92% of the dwellings in the country.   

Each household is interviewed four times by scheme 2-(2)-2. 

Weighting procedure 

The  initial  weights  are  calculated  according  to  the  sample  design,  with  all  persons 
within  the  same  PSU  having  equal  design  weights.  The  design  weights  are  adjusted 
using the data of response level in each strata for each wave. These quarterly weights 
are  then  adjusted  on  the  basis  of  demographic  data.  Yearly  weights  are  calculated  as 
quarterly  weights  divided  by  four.  The  breakdown  into  groups  is  different  for 
adjustment  of  quarterly  and  yearly  weights.  Demographic  data  are  broken  down  by 
degree of urbanisation (as in stratification), 14 age groups (0-14; 15-19; 20-24; 25-29; 
30-34;  35-39;  40-44;  45-49;  50-54;  55-59;  60-64;  65-69;  70-74;  over  75)  and  sex  for 
adjustment of the quarterly weights. For adjustment of the yearly weights demographic 
data are broken down by degree of urbanisation (as in stratification), 14 age groups and 
sex  as well as in NUTS 3 (6 regions),  3 age groups and eight cities of the Republic and 
the  information  from  the  State  employment  agency  by  sex  and  5  age  groups.  All 
persons within the same household have equal initial weights, but the final weights tend 
to be diverse. 

Data collection 

Face-to-face  interviews  using  portable  computers  (CAPI)  and  telephone-assisted 
interviews  (CATI)  are  conducted  by  interviewers  of  the  Interviewers'  Coordination 
Section and Household Survey Preparation and Supervision. The interview is normally 
carried out during the week immediately following the reference week.  

In  2014,  37.9%  of  the  interviews  of  persons  aged  15-74  years  were  given  through  a 
proxy. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  64.3%.  Refusals  accounted  for  34.5%  of  the 
total non-response. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

31

 
Major changes in recent years 

2006:  

-  Data  collection  mode  changed  from  PAPI  (paper  and  pencil  interviewing)  to 

CAPI.  

-  Changes  to  the  questionnaire  to  match  more  closely  the  EU-LFS  definition  of 

unemployment. 

2007: 

-  Sample size more than doubled, from 2 574 to 6 032 households.  

-  Rotation scheme changed from 1-(1)-1-(1)-1 to 2-(2)-2. 

-  More efficient use of auxiliary variables in weighting procedure. 

-  Since the 2nd quarter, CATI interviewing introduced in combination with CAPI. 

2010:   The weighting at household level was introduced. 

2013:  The sampling design was revised. Enlargement of sample size has started. 

Enlargement will be done in 6 quarters. Sample size has enlarged gradually – it 
grew each quarter in comparison with previous quarter. 

2014:  Enlargement of sample size has finished. Since 2nd quarter sample size is 7488 

households per quarter. 

LITHUANIA (LT) 

General 

The Lithuanian LFS started in April 1998 as a semi-annual survey with one reference 
week in both the second and fourth quarter.  

Since the third quarter of 2002 the redesigned survey has been a continuous one. 

The survey covers the whole country. Private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The  target  population  comprises  all  persons  usually  living  in  the  households  of  the 
selected dwellings, including those who are temporarily abroad for a period of less than 
a year. The population also includes foreign nationals who have been living in Lithuania 
for at least a year.  

For each of the quarterly periods, the reference weeks are distributed uniformly over the 
13 weeks. 

A  private  household  comprises  either  persons  living  alone  or  two  or  more  persons, 
whether they are of the same family or not, who usually occupy the same dwelling and 

 32 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
share a common budget. Only the members of the selected private households (family) 
are interviewed. 

Sampling plan 

The survey base is the Residents’ register. 

The sampling design is a stratified single random sample from the sampling frame. 

The sampling unit is the person living in the private household. All household members 
are surveyed. 

The sampling plan is a one-stage simple random sample of about 2000 households per 
quarter aged 15 years and over, using the Residents’ register as a sampling frame.  

The  sample  is  constructed  as  follows:  having  selected  a  simple  random  sample  of  the 
fixed  number  of  persons  of  the  sampling  frame,  the  members  of  their  households  are 
also added. Even if it turned out that, according to the address sampled, some or all of 
the people were not included in the list of the sample, all household members actually 
living at the address are interviewed. A cluster sample of persons is thus obtained. All 
the  persons  living  at  the  address  selected  belong  to  the  same  cluster.  The  actual 
composition of the cluster is indicated by the interviewer when visiting the household. 

A rotation system comprising four waves is used. Each dwelling is kept in the sample 
for  four  quarters  and  one-fourth  of  the  sample  is  replaced  each  quarter.  The  rotation 
scheme is 2-(2)-2. 

The  sample  is  about  8000  households  per  quarter,  with  a  theoretical  sampling  rate  of 
around 0.9% of the population aged 15 years and over. 

Weighting procedure 

The  weighting  method  for  the  Lithuanian  LFS  is  based  on  the  generalised  calibration 
method  introduced  by  Deville  and  Särndal  in  1992.  The  initial  household  design 
weights  are  calculated,  taking  into  account  the  unequal  selection  probabilities  of  the 
households.  These  are  then  adjusted  by  the  use  of  auxiliary  information  relating  to 
population  data  on  60  municipalities  and  the  intersection  of  13  age-groups,  sex  and 
urban/rural. All household members have the same sampling weight. 

Data collection 

Since Q4 2007, CAPI (Computer–Assisted Personal Interviewing) has been introduced 
in addition to PAPI (Paper and Pencil Interviewing). For the first wave, respondents are 
interviewed face-to-face, while during the subsequent waves, interviews are conducted 
by  telephone  or  face-to-face  according  to  the  circumstances.  The  interview  normally 
takes place during the week immediately following the reference week but never later 
than five weeks after the reference week.  

In the second quarter, when the ad hoc module is surveyed, most of the interviews are 
face-to-face. 

The interview duration is on average about 20 minutes in the first interview and shorter 
in  the  subsequent  interviews.  If  the  target  persons  selected  for  the  sample  cannot  be 
reached, a proxy may be used on certain conditions. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

33

 
The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  80.4%.  Refusals  accounted  for  44.2%  of  the 
total non-response. 

Approximately 34.5% of the interviews of persons aged 15-74 years were carried out by 
proxy. 

Major changes in recent years 

2006: 

Labour  Exchange  data  (i.e.  the  registered  employment/unemployment 
status) no longer used as auxiliary information for calculation of weights. 

2007/2008:  Gradual increase of the theoretical sample size from 4 000 households in 

2006 to 7 000 in 2007 and to 8 000 in 2008. 

LUXEMBOURG (LU) 

General 

In  2003,  a  new  survey  design  was  launched  for  the  Luxembourg  LFS,  which  is 
characterised  by  continuous  data  collection  by  telephone  interviews,  replacing  the 
annual spring survey dating from 1983. 

The survey yields annual results as an average of the whole year. Since 2007 the survey 
has  been  providing  quarterly  and  annual  results.  The  resident  population  comprises 
persons registered as residing in one of the communes. 

There  is  no  specific  legislation  making  it  compulsory  to  provide  information  for  the 
survey. Participation is therefore voluntary. 

The survey covers only private households. The private household  is composed either 
of persons living alone or of two or more persons, whether or not of the same family, 
living in the same dwelling. 

The demographic part of the questionnaire covers all the household members. The rest 
of the questionnaire is addressed only to people aged 15 years and over. 

Sampling plan 

A single stage random sample is applied. From 2009, the Central Population Register is 
no  longer  used  as  sampling  frame.  Households  to  be  contacted  are  selected  by  the 
procedure  of  random  digit  dialling  (set  of  all  telephone  numbers).  The  sampling  units 
are the households. All the individuals included in the aforementioned households are 
considered as targets of the survey. 

In  2014,  the  quarterly  theoretical  sample  size  is  approximately  11’250  households, 
corresponding to a sampling rate of about 5.0%.   

No rotational scheme is applied. 

Weighting procedure 

Population  estimates  on  1  January  are  used  for  weighting  the  results.  Data  from  the 
survey  are  weighted  ex  post  by  sex,  age  classes:  0-14,  15-19,  20-24,  25-29,  30-34,  

 34 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
35-39,  40-44,  45-49,  50-54,  55-59,  60-64,  65+,  nationality:  Luxembourgish/foreigner. 
All  persons  of  these  288  strata  have  the  same  weight,  calculated  by  dividing  the 
population in each stratum by the number of interviewed persons in the same stratum. 

Data collection 

Approximately the same number of households is interviewed during each week of the 
year.  Each  selected  household  should  be  interviewed  within  three  weeks  from  the 
reference  week.  All  the  interviews  are  carried  out  by  telephone.  One  interview 
(covering the core variables as well as the ad hoc module variables) lasts an average of 
10 to 15 minutes per interviewed person. 

In 2014, 39.8% of the interviews of 15-74 year olds were carried out by proxy. 

The response rate was 15.4% Refusals accounted for 52.4% of the total non-response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2007:   Dissemination of quarterly results in addition to annual ones.  

HUNGARY (HU) 

General 

The Hungarian Labour Force Survey started in 1992 as a quarterly survey (until 2002 
the  reference  week  in  each  month  was  the  week  which  included  the  12th  day  of  the 
month,  from  2003  to  2005  three  weeks  of  each  month  were  surveyed).  Since  the 
beginning  of  2006  the  survey  is  a  continuous  one,  covering  all  weeks  of  the  year. 
Interviews are done during the week immediately following the reference week. 

The  quarterly  sample  is  made  up  of  three  monthly  sub-samples,  producing  monthly 
results with moving average of the last three months for some indicators since 2003. In 
2003 the survey was redesigned. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The  LFS  provides  labour  market  information  on  the  non-institutional  population  aged 
15-74  years.  Included  are  household  members  temporarily  absent  and  persons  living 
abroad  if  they  have  common  income/consumption  with  the  surveyed  household.  The 
institutional and unsettled population is excluded. Demographic information is collected 
on all persons without age restrictions. 

Sampling plan 

From 2003 the LFS sample is a multi-stage stratified sample of dwellings based on the 
2001 Population and Housing Census. The last update of the sample frame was in 2013 
in line with the address file of 2011 Population and Housing Census.   

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

35

 
 
 
The  LFS  sample  is  stratified  by  administrative  units  (i.e.  the  capital  city  and  19 
counties) and by size categories of the localities. Total number of strata is 278, of which 
175  are  self-representing  localities.  The  remaining  103  strata  contain  513  non-self-
representing sampled localities. 

At  national  level,  self-representing  localities  are  those  which  have  at  least  3 975 
dwellings (i.e. approximately 5 000 inhabitants), while all other localities are non-self-
representing. The former are all included in the sample with certainty, while a stratified 
(sub-)sample  is  selected from the latter with probability proportional to size (PPS). In 
the case of non-self-representing localities, design strata are defined as cross-classes of 
four  size  categories  and  19  administrative  units  (counties).  In  such  cases,  the  primary 
sampling  units  (PSUs)  are  localities,  and  the  secondary  (and  ultimate)  sampling  units 
are  dwellings.  By  contrast,  the  PSUs  are  dwellings  in  the  case  of  self-representing 
localities, thus sampling has actually only one stage in this case.  

The final sampling units are dwellings in each case. They are selected with systematic 
random  sampling  from  lists  of  addresses  belonging  to  the  sampled  localities.  Prior  to 
selection,  the  lists  are  properly  sorted  for  the  purpose  of  implicit  stratification.  As  a 
result,  the  different  parts  of  the  localities  (downtown  areas,  suburbs,  etc.)  will  be 
properly  represented.  All  households  residing  in  the  selected  dwelling  units  are 
surveyed. 

In the different strata of the LFS sample different sampling rates are used. The overall 
sampling fraction is 0.92%, yielding approximately 37 700 dwellings per quarter. 

The sample has a simple rotation pattern. The households entering the sample provide 
information  for  six  consecutive  quarters,  before  being  rotated  out  of  the  sample  for 
good. 

Weighting procedure 

At the first stage, design (or design-based) weights are determined. For any stratum of 
the  sample,  the  unique  design  weight  is  defined  as  the  ratio  of  the  total  number  of 
dwellings  in  the  stratum  to  that  in  the  sub-sample  for  that  stratum.  Some  adjustments 
are also included at this stage. 

At the second stage, calibrated weights are determined with the method of generalised 
raking. For each of the 20 geographical units (i.e. the capital city and the 19 counties), 
the calibration variables or controls are the following: 

- Totals for age-sex groups (2x10 groups), 

- Total number of households, 

- Total resident population in cities with at least 50 000 inhabitants. 

The calibration is organised so that all members in a sample household have the same 
calibrated weight as that household. 

Method of deriving controls: demographic components method combined with census-
based proportions. 

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Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
From December 2014 grossing up of LFS data is based on the adjusted population 
number of 2011 census. To ensure comparability previous estimates have been modified 
by the new weighting system dating back to 2006. 

Data collection 

Data  are  collected  by  laptops  (CAPI)  interviews.  First  time  the  respondents  are 
interviewed  face-to-face;  while  during  the  subsequent  time  interviews  could  be 
conducted according to the situation – by telephone or face-to-face. Interviews are done 
during the week immediately following the reference week. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  82.8%.  Refusals  accounted  for  42.4%  of  the 
total non-response. In 2014, 44.0% of the interviews of persons aged 15-74 years were 
collected by proxy. 

MALTA (MT) 

General 

The  Maltese  Labour  Force  Survey  started  in  2000,  providing  quarterly  results  from 
2001. The survey was redesigned as a quarterly continuous survey in 2004. At the same 
time a new sampling frame was introduced. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The  survey  covers  private  households,  including  people  who  are  temporarily  absent 
from the usual place of residence. 

A household is defined as one or more persons who live together and share expenses. A 
person who is abroad during the reference week and who has the intention to come back 
to Malta in the following 12 months is considered to be part of the household. Children 
or any other members who are living in another dwelling or institution are excluded. 

Sampling plan 

The  sampling  plan  is  a  one-stage  systematic  random  sample  of  households  from  the 
2011  Census  taking  into  account  the  locality  of  residence  and  composition  of 
households (in terms of the number of males and females and number of persons aged 
<15, 15-29, 30-64 and 65+ within each household). 

The sample is 12 800 households yearly (3 200 per quarter), with a theoretical sampling 
rate of 8.4% (2.1% per quarter).The sample consists of four  waves. One fourth of the 
sample is made up of households who have been selected to participate in the Labour 
Force  Survey  for  the  first  time.  Three  fourths  of  the  quarterly  sample  is  made  up  of 
households  who  were  selected  to  carry  out  the  survey  on  previous  occasions,  namely 
either  one  quarter  before,  or  one  year  before,  or  one  year  and  quarter  before.  The 
rotation pattern is 2-(2)-2. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

37

 
 
Weighting procedure 

Prior  to  the  compilation  of  weights,  calibration  was  carried  out  to  correct  for  sample 
bias  arising  out  of  differential  non-response  and  non-representative  probabilities  of 
selection. 

A posteriori stratification at one level is performed by sex, age-group and district. This 
allows  the  tabulation  of  estimates  at  national  and  district  levels.  The  totals  are 
benchmarked to Census Population Totals of persons living in private households only. 

For weighting procedures, NUTS 4 is used, gender and 5 year age groups (i.e. 0 – 4, 5 – 
9, 10 – 14, ..., 80+ years).  

Data collection 

Data  are  collected  with  face-to-face  or  telephone  interviews.  All  persons  in  the 
household  are  interviewed,  with  the  main  questions  addressed to persons aged 15 and 
over. Each household is contacted via ordinary mail so that it is informed that the family 
has been chosen to participate in the LFS. An interviewer who is assigned to a group of 
households carries out the interview in one of two ways i.e. in person or by telephone.  

The first panel is conducted via PAPI whereas the second to fourth panel are carried out 
using CATI. For the latter panels, an interviewer is only sent when households do not 
provide  a  telephone  number  or  do  not  have  a  telephone  line  or  do  not  want  to  be 
interviewed over the phone.   

The average response rate in 2014 was 76.3%. Refusals accounted for 4.3% of the total 
non-response. 

In  2014,  49.8%  of  the  interviews  of  persons  aged  15-74  years  were  carried  out  by 
proxy. 

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  Weighting scheme changed to correct for non-response in successive waves. 

2007:  Quarterly sample size increased from 2 500 to 3 200 households. 

2008:  Rotation scheme changed from 2- to 2-(2)-2. 

2012:  New  sampling  frame  based  on  the  census  2011.  For  the  data  collection  2006-

2011 the census 2005 was used. 

NETHERLANDS (NL) 

General 

The  Dutch  Labour  Force  Survey  started  in  1987  as  an  annual  survey.  In  2000  it  was 
redesigned as a continuous quarterly survey. 

The survey covers only private households. 

The year is divided into quarters of 13 weeks: January to March, April to June, July to 
September and October to December.  

 38 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
There  is  no  specific  legislation  making  it  compulsory  to  provide  information  for  the 
survey. Participation is therefore voluntary. 

The resident population comprises persons residing in the Netherlands. 

The  private  household  comprises  either  persons  living  alone  or  two  or  more  persons, 
whether or not they are of the same family, who usually occupy the same dwelling and 
share a joint budget. 

Sampling plan 

The survey base is a list of all addresses drawn up by the postal services in combination 
with the Population Register.  All institutions  are eliminated  from the  sample.  The  file 
also  contains  information  on  the  number  of  letterboxes  at  each  address  (mailing 
addresses), which are used as sampling units. 

The sampling plan is a three-stage stratified probability sample of addresses: 

(a) Primary sampling units: the municipalities; 

(b) Secondary sampling units: mailing addresses; 

Municipalities  are  selected  with  a  probability  proportional  to  their  population.  All 
municipalities with a population of more than 18 000 persons (of which there are about 
200), are permanently represented in the survey. 

Mailing addresses are selected systematically out of a mailing list sorted by postal code. 
At addresses with more than one letterbox, all letterboxes appear in the list. If a selected 
mailing  address  includes  only  one  household,  this  household  is  questioned.  If  the 
address  includes  more  than  one  household,  a  maximum  of  three  households  are 
questioned. This makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of the survey. Sixty-six 
strata  are  defined  using  cross-classification  based  on  40  ‘Corop’  regions  and  18 
employment-exchange regions.  

Each  quarter  the  sample  consists  of  almost  50 000  households,  corresponding  to  a 
quarterly sampling rate of about 0.7%. 

A sub-sample is used to survey the structural variables (for which only yearly results are 
required)  concerning  atypical  work,  previous  work  experience  of  persons  not  in 
employment, main status and education and training successfully completed. The sub-
sample is determined according to a wave approach, i.e. it includes the units of each full 
quarterly  sample  which,  according  to  the  rotation  scheme,  are  interviewed  for  the 
second  time  (2nd  wave).  This  corresponds  to  one  fifth  of  each  quarterly  sample.  The 
full sub-sample for the structural variables is thus spread over all the weeks of a year 
and has a theoretical size of about 40 000 households. 

Weighting procedure 

Weighting of the respondents is done in two stages. In the first stage all respondents are 
assigned an inclusion weight. These inclusion weights are calculated in such a way that 
unequal inclusion probabilities that occur because of the sampling method are corrected. 
In  the  second  stage  final  weights  are  determined.  In  this  stage  biases  because  of  non-
response are reduced. For this, information on gender, age, ethnic background, place of 
residence  and  some  other  regional  classifications  are  used.  In  addition,  administrative 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

39

 
sources  on  the  income  and  registration  at  unemployment  office  are  used.  Also 
information on the correlation in the panel-overlap between subsequent quarters is used 
and all waves together are weighted in one step. 

Data collection 

The survey is a 5 waves rotating panel.  

Since  2010  interviews  in  the  first  wave  are  carried  out  using  mixed-mode.  When  a 
telephone number is available people are approached by telephone (CATI). When there 
is no available telephone number, the approach is face-to-face with the help of portable 
computers  (CAPI).    Interviews  in  the  next  four  waves  are  carried  out  by  telephone 
(CATI).  In  the  CATI  questionnaire,  data  previously  gathered  in  the  preceding  wave 
(CAPI or CATI) are included.  As from the 4th quarter of 2012 CAWI is introduced in 
the first wave. At first everyone is approached by CAWI. People who don't respond are 
re-approached by CATI or CAPI as described above. 

The response rate in 2014 was 57.4%. Refusals accounted for 78.5% of the total non-
response. 

In 2014, 46.5% of the interviews of 15-74 year olds were by proxy. 

Major changes in recent years 

2012:  Introduction of computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI). 

2015:  The  LFS  weights  are  recalculated  from  2011  onwards.  Breaks  in  the  series  of 
(un)employment due to LFS redesigns in 2010 and 2012 are now corrected for 
in the new weights.  Until this revision of weights the series were continued on 
the levels for (un)employment from before the redesigns.   

AUSTRIA (AT) 

General 

The  Austrian  Labour  Force  Survey  covering  the  whole  questionnaire  of  the  European 
Labour  Force  Survey  started  in  1995  as  an  annual  survey  in  March.  In  2004  the  LFS 
was  redesigned  as  a  continuous  survey,  covering  all  weeks  of  the  year.  Key  data  on 
employment  and  unemployment  have  been  collected  within  the  Austrian  Microcensus 
quarterly since 1968, but ILO definitions have been used only from 1994 onwards. 

Only  the  population  in  private  households  is  included  in  the  European  Union  Labour 
Force Survey. Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The resident population comprises persons who have their main residence on Austrian 
territory during the reference week. 

A  private  household  is  made  up  of  all  people  actually  living  in  a  dwelling, 
independently from registration. 

 40 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
Sampling plan 

The survey base is the Register of Residents. 

The sampling design is a stratified single random sample from the sampling frame, with 
each ‘Bundesland’ (NUTS 2) forming a stratum.   

The sampling unit is the dwelling with at least one person with main residence. All the 
people in the selected dwellings are surveyed. 

The  gross  quarterly  sample  size  is  around  22  500  dwellings,  corresponding  to  an 
average sampling rate of about 0.6%. 

A rotation system comprising five waves is used. Each dwelling is kept in the sample 
for five quarters and one-fifth of the sample is replaced each quarter. 

Weighting procedure 

For estimation of the results weights are calculated using the population counts of the 
Register of Residents and the household forecasts of Statistics Austria. The weights are 
calculated using the following criteria:  

•  Bundesland (NUTS 2) 

•  Age groups (0–2 years; 3-5 years; 6-9 years; five-year age groups until 84 years; 

85 years and over),  

•  Nationality (Austrian; EU-14 [i.e. EU15 without the Austrians]; EU from 2004 
(without  Turkey);  Turkish;  other 
onwards;  European  non-EU  states 
nationalities),Size of the households according to the household forecast (1; 2; 3; 
4; 5+),       

•  Gender 

•  Register  based  labour  status  (standard  employment,  non-standard  employment, 

self-employment, unemployment, out of labour force). 

In  a  first  step,  a  basic  weight  is  calculated  for  each  person.  This  is  followed  by  a 
calibration  procedure  with  iterative  proportional  fitting.  Finally  each  member  of  the 
household gets the same weight. 

Data collection 

Since  April  2006,  CAPI  (computer-assisted  personal  interviewing)  is  used  in  the  first 
wave  and  mostly  CATI  (computer-assisted  telephone  interviewing)  in  the  second  to 
fifth waves. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  94.3%.  Refusals  accounted  for  21.7%  of  the 
total non-response. 

In  2014,  25.2%  of  the  interviews  with  persons  aged  15-74  years  were  carried  out  by 
proxy  (interviewing  other  adult  members  of  the  household).  Persons  younger  than  18 
years need not answer the questionnaire by themselves. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

41

 
Major changes in recent years 

2004:  Replacement of PAPI (paper and pencil interviewing) with CATI for first to fifth 

wave interviews. 

2006:  Replacement of CATI with CAPI for first-wave interviews. 

2012:  Last revision of the questionnaire 

2014:  Change  of  the  weighting  scheme  (Census 2011 and inclusion  of  register based 

information) and revision of weights for the period 2004 to 2013. 

POLAND (PL) 

General 

The Polish Labour Force Survey started in May 1992 as a quarterly survey, using data 
collection in one reference week per quarter. Since the fourth quarter of 1999 the survey 
has covered all weeks of the year. 

The  survey  is  spread  over  the  whole  country.  Only  non-institutional  households  are 
observed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The target population covers all persons aged 15 years and over with usual residence in 
Poland.  Persons  living  in  institutional  households  (army,  hospital,  prison,  hostels  etc.) 
are excluded from the survey if their length of stay in these institutions is planned to be 
longer  than  one  year.  The  same  applies  to  persons  living  permanently  or  temporarily 
(for more than one year) in other countries. 

The household is a group of relatives or other people living together and maintaining a 
joint  unit.  Persons  not  belonging  to  any  household  and  living  and  managing  the 
household alone are considered as single-person households. 

Sampling plan 

The sampling plan for the Polish LFS is a two-stage stratified probability sampling of 
dwelling units. 

The sampling frame for both stages of the sample is based on the Census and Register 
of  housing  units.  The  primary  sampling  units  (PSUs)  refer  with  few  exceptions  to 
census clusters in towns and enumeration districts in rural areas. 

The  primary  sampling  units  are  stratified  by  urban/rural  division  of  voivodships 
(provinces), as well as division within voivodships depending on the size of the place, 
with rural areas included among the smallest ones. PSUs are sampled within strata with 
sampling probability proportional to the number of dwellings in a PSU. 

In  the  second  stage  a  total  of  54 704  dwelling  units  per  quarter  are  sampled  from 
selected  PSUs  stratified  by  size  of  the  municipality.  This  corresponds  to  an  overall 
quarterly sampling rate of about 0.4%. 

The sample is divided into four sub-samples, subject to the rotation scheme 2-(2)-2. 

 42 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
  
Weighting procedure 

The weights are computed using a four-step procedure. First the initial design weights 
are  calculated  for  dwelling  units,  i.e.,  the  reciprocals  of  the  selection  probabilities  for 
the  final  sampling  units  in  each  stratum.  Secondly,  the  weighted  response  rates  are 
calculated for sampling units stratified a posteriori by six place-of-residence categories. 
Thirdly, the initial weights are adjusted by the response rates. The adjusted weights are 
also  final  for  results  concerning  households.  The  final  step  consists  in  modifying  the 
adjusted weights using the population estimates stratified a posteriori by the urban-rural 
division, sex and 12 age groups (15-17, 18-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-
49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+) plus three age groups (0-4, 5-9, 10-14) for children living 
in the surveyed households. 

Data collection 

The  data  are  collected  with  face-to-face  interviews  using  electronic  (CAPI)  and  paper 
(PAPI)  questionnaires.  Up  to  2014  repeat  interviews  were  sometimes  carried  out  by 
telephone.  From  2014  onwards  CATI  was  also  consecutively  introduced  as  a 
supplementary mode to CAPI for the second, third and fourth wave.  

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  68.6  %.  Refusals  accounted  for  56.2%  of  the 
total non-response. 

In 2014, 40.0% of the interviews with persons aged 15-74 years were carried out by 
proxy. 

Major changes in recent years 

2006: 

- 

Introduction of CAPI supplementing PAPI. 

-  Change  to  the  questionnaire,  to  better  identify  people  absent  from  work 
(identification of lay-offs) and to tie in with the EU-LFS operational guidelines 
for the definition of labour status.  

- 

Introduction of variable MAINSTAT (self-declared main labour status). 

-  Calculation of weighting factors for children aged below 15 years. 

2008:  Increase of the sample size in the seven NUTS 2 areas not meeting the EU-LFS 

precision requirements.  

2009:  Questionnaire changed to better align to the EU-LFS operational guidelines for 

the definition of labour status. 

2010:  Sample  size  doubled  in  order  to  adjust  precision  to  the  requirement  set  out  in 

Article 3.2. 

2011:  From  the  first  quarter  2011  onwards  the  occupational  data  is  compiled  in 
accordance  with  the  Classification  of  Occupations  and  Specializations  2010 
(KZiS 2010), being a national adaptation of ISCO-08. The KZiS 2010 replaced 
the KZiS 2007. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

43

 
2012:    From  3rd  quarter  generalization  of  the  survey  results  on  the  population  was 
carried out with the use of the data on the population of Poland aged 15 years 
and more coming from the balances compiled on the new basis of the results - 
National  Census  of  Population  and  Housing  2011.  In  the  same  time  other 
methodological  change  was  introduced  due  to  harmonization  of  the  population 
covered  in the survey with the Eurostat recommendations which excluded from 
the survey only persons not present in a household, i.e. staying abroad or living 
in intuitional household for 12 months or longer (before it was 3 months). 

2014:  Introduction of CATI as a supplementary mode of data collection.  

PORTUGAL (PT) 

General 

The Portuguese LFS started in 1983 as a quarterly survey. Since 1998, the survey is a 
continuous one yielding quarterly results. 

All the geographical territory of Portugal is covered, i.e. mainland, Madeira and Azores. 

Only  private  dwellings  are  surveyed,  although  the  survey  also  covers  part  individuals 
living in collective dwellings who represent a potential for the labour market, insofar as 
they have family links with the private dwellings (national servicemen or students). 

Participation in the survey is compulsory (in accordance with Law No 22/2008, Sistema 
Estatístico Nacional, of May 2008). 

The  resident  population  consists  of  individuals  living  in  private  dwellings  during  the 
reference  week.  Individuals  who  are  absent  for  short  periods  of  time  and  who  are  not 
occupying other dwellings permanently are also included. 

A private dwelling is made up either of persons living alone or of two or more persons, 
whether  or  not  belonging  to  the  same  family,  who  usually  occupy  the  same  dwelling 
and share a common budget. 

Sampling plan 

The  sampling  plan  was  gradually  changed  from  3rd  quarter  2013  to  the  4th  quarter 
2014.The new sampling frame, selected from the National Dwellings Register (NDR) is 
based  on  the  Census  2011  data.  The  NDR  is  composed  by  all  addresses  of  private 
dwellings extracted from Census 2011. 

The transition from the old sampling frame (the Master Sample 2011, MS) to the NDR 
was  established  to  occur  between  the  third  quarter  of  2013  and  the  fourth  quarter  of 
2014: each quarter, the new rotation (1/6) is drawn from the NDR. In the fourth quarter 
of 2014, all six rotations of the sample will be drawn from the NDR. 

With  the  new  sample  frame  the  Portuguese  LFS  sample  size  comprises  22 572 
dwellings. 

Both sampling frames are stratified one-stage cluster samples. In each stratum (NUTS 
3),  the  clusters  were  selected  systematically  with  probability  proportional  to  size 

 44 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
(number  of  private  dwellings  of  usual  residence).  However,  the  clusters  were 
constructed with slightly differences: 

• 

• 

In  the  MS,  the  areas  were  geographical  areas  constituted  by  one  or  more 
contiguous  statistical  sections  (Census  enumeration  areas)  with  the  purpose  of 
having at least close to 300 private dwellings of usual residence – 1 408 PSUs 
were selected. 

In  the  NDR,  the  clusters  were  composed  by  one  or  more  contiguous  grid 
INSPIRE  cells  with 1 Km2 of area, also aiming at having at least close to 300 
private  dwellings  of  usual  residence  in  each  of  them  –  1 254  PSUs  were 
selected. 

The  selection  of  PSU  was  made  with  probability  proportional  to  size  (in  number  of 
private dwellings of usual residence). 

All  persons  living  in  the  same  dwelling  are  interviewed.  In  spite  of  the  survey  being 
directed to the households, the dwellings are the sampling units. 

A rotation system comprising six waves is used. Dwellings are kept in the sample for 
six consecutive quarters before being replaced by an identical  number of dwellings in 
the same geographical area. One-sixth of the sample is replaced each quarter. 

In each quarter around 22 572 dwelling units are selected, which represents a sampling 
rate of approximately 0.6%. 

Weighting procedure 

The  weight  is  derived  as  the  product  of  a  design  weight  (which  incorporates  design 
information and non-response) and a factor that calibrates the sample to the independent 
demographic  estimates  (using  a  posteriori  stratification  method  by  NUTS  2,  sex  and 
five-year age groups; NUTS 3 (or groups of NUTS 3) by six age groups; and NUTS 3 
(or groups of NUTS 3) by sex). 

Data collection 

Until 2010 interviews were carried out on a face-to-face basis with the help of portable 
computers  (CAPI).  All  information  is  obtained  by  interview.  From  2011  onwards  the 
interviews are carried out in a mixed mode (the first interview is done face-to-face by an 
interviewer  visiting  the  household;  the  other  five  interviews  are  generally  done  by 
telephone (CATI)). 

47.7% of the interviews of persons aged 15-74 years were carried out by proxy. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  85.2%.  Refusals  accounted  for  14.0%  of  the 
total non-response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2011:  Implementation of telephone interviewing (CATI) as one of the data collection 

mode and revision of the questionnaire. 

2014:  Implementation of a new sampling frame from the National Dwellings Register.   

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

45

 
ROMANIA (RO) 

General 

The  Romanian  Labour  Force  Survey  started  in  1993  with  a  pilot  survey,  followed  by 
two  annual  surveys  in  1994  and  1995.  In  1996,  a  continuous  LFS  started,  providing 
quarterly results. 

The whole country is covered. Only private households are surveyed. 

The target population comprises persons resident in Romania.  

The survey covers all members of the selected households including the persons absent 
from home for a longer period, living inside the country or abroad (for the latter, only if 
the total duration of staying abroad is less than 12 months), if they are preserving family 
relations with the household to which they belong, such as: pupils and students away for 
study, persons left for work, prisoners, persons temporary in hospitals or sanatoria for 
medical cure. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

A household is defined as a group of two or more persons, usually living together, being 
generally relatives, managing the household in common, entirely or partly participating 
in income formation and spending. A person stating that he or she does not belong to 
any  joint  household,  and  lives  and  manages  the  household  all  by  him  or  herself,  is 
considered as a single-person household. 

Sampling plan 

The sampling plan is a two-stage probability sampling of clusters of housing units. 

Because of the lack of appropriate registers (dwelling register, population register, etc), 
the household surveys carried out by NSI-Romania are based on the repeated use of a 
master  sample,  which  also  entails  the  use  of  multi-stage  sampling  designs.  The  LFS 
sampling design is founded on a two-stage sampling technique.   

The  primary  sampling  unit,  corresponding  to  the  selection  of  the  master  sample,  is  a 
group of census sections. 

The  secondary  (ultimate)  sampling  unit,  corresponding  to  the  selection  of  the  survey 
sample, has been the cluster of three dwelling units. 

In  the  first  stage,  a  stratified  random  sample  of  780  areas,  Primary  Sampling  Units 
(PSUs), was designed after the 2002 census, using as stratification criteria the residence 
area (urban/rural) and county (corresponding to NUTS 3 level) – 88 strata in all. This is 
the Multifunctional Sample of Territorial Areas, known as the master sample EMZOT. 
The  EMZOT  sample  has  427  PSUs  selected  from  urban  areas  and  353  PSUs  selected 
from rural area. 

In  the  second  stage,  9 360  clusters,  composed  of  three  housing  units  each,  are 
systematically  selected  from  the  initial  sample  of  PSUs.  The  final  quarterly  sample 
consists  of  28 080  dwelling  units  each  quarter.  All  households  within  each  sampling 
unit are included. 

 46 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
The  overall  quarterly  sampling  rate,  estimated  as  ratio  between  number  of  sampled 
dwellings, after the two sampling stages, and number of dwellings at country level, is 
about 0.38%. 

Each  sampling  unit  is  observed  for  four  quarters  according  to  the  rotation  pattern  
2-(2)-2. 

Weighting procedure 

The  weights  are  calculated  in  three  steps.  The  first  step  assigns  the  inverse  of  the 
selection probabilities to each sampled dwelling unit. The second step adjusts for non-
response,  categorising  the  responding  dwelling  units  by  the  following  characteristics: 
county  (NUTS  3)  and  urban/rural  residency.  The  third  and  final  step  consists  in 
calibrating the secondary weights to the best latest available population totals by region 
/ urban-rural residency, gender, 14 age groups (0-14, 15-19,…, 70-74, 75 and older) and 
the household totals by region, using the SAS macro Calmar. 

In the calculation of weighting factors the totals known at population level from current 
demographic statistics, based on the 2011 Population Census and updated twice a year 
(1 January and 1 July), are used. The current demographic statistics used to calibrate the 
LFS estimates also include the institutional population. 

Data collection 

The data are collected only by face-to-face interviews using paper questionnaires. Data 
are collected with identical questionnaires through the whole year. The questionnaire is 
divided into two parts: dwelling questionnaire and individual questionnaire. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  90.5%.  Refusals  accounted  for  29.0%  of  the 
total non-response. 

In 2014, 25.8% of the interviews of persons aged 15-74 years were by proxy. 

Further methodological information 

Self-employed  and  contributing  family  members  -  working  in  agriculture  -  are 
considered as employed only if they worked 10 hours or more in the reference week.  

Major changes in recent years:  

2006:  Full and uniform coverage of the weeks of each quarter.  

2014:  National LFS is fully aligned to the definition of resident population 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

47

 
 
 
 
 
SLOVENIA (SI) 

General 

The  Slovenian  Labour  Force  Survey  started  in  1993  as  an  annual  survey,  using  four 
weeks  in  May  as  the  reference  period.  Since  the  second  quarter  of  1997  the  LFS  has 
been conducted as a continuous survey, providing quarterly results. 

The  survey  covers  the  whole  country.  Only  individuals  in  private  households  are 
surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

Members  of  the  household  temporarily  absent  for  a  period  exceeding  12  months  (in 
hospital,  prison,  student  accommodation)  and  persons  living  in  other  countries  are 
excluded  from  the  survey.  Foreign  nationals  are  included,  if  they  correspond  to  the 
criteria of household. For the household members up to 15 years old only few questions 
are asked. 

A  household  is  a  single  person  or  a  group  of  persons  who  live  together  and  share 
expenses related to common living and eating. 

Sampling plan 

The  sampling  frame  basis  is  the  Central  Population  Register  of  the  Republic  of 
Slovenia. 

The  sampling  method  is  stratified  systematic  random  sampling  of  addresses.  All 
members of the household at the selected address are included. 

Each  quarter  approximately  7300  households  are  in  the  sample,  corresponding  to  an 
approximate overall quarterly sampling rate of 0.8%. 

Strata  are  defined  by  NUTS  3  (12)  and  type  of  settlement,  defined  according  to  the 
settlement size and proportion of farmers (6). Stratum allocation is proportional to the 
population distribution, adjusted by previous non-response rates by stratum. 

Each household is interviewed five times according to the rotation pattern 3-(1)-2. 

Weighting procedure 

The  data  are  weighted  for  unequal  probability  of  selection  and  for  non-response  and 
post-stratified according to the known population distribution: age (0-14, 15-19, 20-29, 
30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+), sex and region (NUTS 3 level). The post-stratification 
is  done  on  a  household  level,  with  members  of  the  same  household  thus  receiving 
identical  weights,  and  benchmarked  to  population  totals.  Institutional  population  is 
included in population totals.  

Data collection 

Face-to-face interviews using electronic questionnaires and telephone interviewing are 
used  for  the  data  collection.  The  first  interview  is  a  face-to-face  interview  at  home 
(CAPI).  All  repeat  interviews  are  carried  out  by  telephone  if  the  household  has  a 
telephone  (CATI).  Repeat  interviews  in  the  households  without  a  telephone  are  done 
face-to-face. 

 48 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  78.7%.  Refusals  accounted  for  56.8%  of  the 
total non-response. 

55.6% (unweighted data) of the interviews (persons aged 15-74 years) were carried out 
by proxy.  

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  Move  to  a  more  uniform  distribution  of  sample  and  coverage  of  all  weeks  of 

each quarter. 

2007:  Question  on  self-declared  main  labour  status  moved  to  the  end  of  the 
questionnaire, to tie in with the EU-LFS operational guidelines for the definition 
of labour status.  

2008:  New definition of resident population introduced. 

SLOVAKIA (SK) 

General 

The Slovakian  Labour  Force Survey started in 1993 as a  continuous, quarterly  survey 
using seasonal quarters. In 2000 the Slovakian LFS moved to calendar quarters. 

The whole country is covered. Only private households are surveyed. 

Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The  target  population  of  the  survey  is  every  person  aged  15  and  over,  living  in  the 
household  of  the  selected  dwelling  without  regard  to  permanent,  temporary  or 
unregistered  stays.  Data  for  students  living  in  hostels,  schoolchildren  at  boarding 
schools  and  persons  living  temporarily  in  worker  homes  are  collected  within  the 
households to which they belong. Inmates of prison or mental institutions, and foreign 
citizens  staying  temporarily  are  not  surveyed.  From  the  first  quarter  of  1997  to  the 
fourth quarter of 2005, conscripts on compulsory military service were included in the 
LFS. 

A household is a group of persons sharing common accommodation and housekeeping 
budget. Persons living on their own constitute one-person households. 

Sampling plan 

The  sampling  design  is  a  stratified  two-stage  probability  sampling  of  dwelling  units, 
using the Census of Population 2011 as the basis. The sampling frame was last updated 
in 2014. 

The strata are formed by (79) districts, which correspond to the NUTS 4 level. 

The  primary  sampling  units  (PSU)  correspond  to  the  Census  Administrative  Units. 
These  are  selected  at  the  first  sampling  stage  in  each  district  with  probability 
proportional to the district’s population size. Each PSU can be selected more than once. 

At  the  second  stage,  five  dwelling  units  are  selected  from  each  instance  of  the  PSU 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

49

 
 
using a simple random sampling method. 

The  quarterly  sample  size  is  about  10 250  dwellings,  representing  0.6%  of  all 
permanently occupied dwellings. 

Every selected dwelling remains in the survey for five consecutive quarters. 

Weighting procedure 

Data  from  the  survey  for  all  persons  participating  in  the  survey  were  weighted  by 
administrative data on total population (including institutional population) as of Jan. 1, 
2014 by region, sex and age groups. Extrapolation to the population is done at the level 
of  individuals.  The  average  sample  size  was  21 253  persons  (aged  15  and  over).  The 
population  and  the  sample  are  the  subject  of  a  post-stratification  by  NUTS  3 
administrative region (8 regions altogether), sex and five-year age groups. In each of the 
strata thus obtained the weight 

iw  is assigned to each person in the sample:  

w =
i

i

, where 

N
n

i

iN = the number of persons in stratum i of the population (age 15+)  

in = the number of persons in stratum i of the sample (age 15+). 

Data collection 

The  data  are  collected  by  face-to-face  interviews  (first  visit);  all  other  interviews  are 
mainly carried out via telephone using CAPI and PAPI as the mode of data collection. 

 The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  89.0%.  Refusals  accounted  for  76.1%  of  the 
total non-response. 

The average percentage of proxy interviews in 2014 for persons aged 15-74 years was 
49.8% 

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  New structure of the national questionnaire. 

2011:   Implementation of a new CAPI mode.  

2012:   Sampling frame based on Census of Population 2011.  

 50 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINLAND (FI) 

General 

The  Finnish  Labour  Force  Survey  (LFS)  started  in  1959.  Finnish  LFS  data  have  been 
delivered  to  Eurostat  since  1995.  In  the  late  1990s  various  kinds  of  methodological 
development took place, and changes were introduced to the Finnish LFS to reflect EU 
harmonisation. Since 2000 the Finnish LFS is a strictly continuous survey. 

The  survey  is  a  monthly  survey  of  individuals  with  the  reference  weeks  distributed 
uniformly throughout the month (4 or 5 reference weeks). The quarterly sample (usually 
13  reference  weeks)  consist  of  three  separate  and  independent  monthly  samples.  The 
survey provides monthly, quarterly and annual results.  

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

The whole country and the Autonomous Territory of the Åland Islands are covered, as 
well as both private and collective households. 

The  target  population  comprises  people  aged  15  to  74  who  are  registered  as 
permanently  resident  in  Finland,  including  those  who  are  temporarily  abroad  for  a 
period  of  less  than  a  year,  members  of  the  armed  forces,  and  the  institutional 
population.  It  also  includes  foreign  nationals  who  have  been  living  in  Finland  for  at 
least a year or intend to do so. Persons living in institutions cannot be separated from 
the total population.   

The  information  concerning  the  household  composition  and  other  members  of  the 
household  are  collected  in  the  last  (fifth)  wave.  A  household  consists  of  persons  who 
live together, share meals or otherwise jointly use their income.  

Sampling plan 

The  sampling  design  used  in  Finland  is  stratified  systematic  sampling  of  elements, 
having  as  a  sampling  frame  the  total  population  database  maintained  by  Statistics 
Finland.  It  is  based  on  the  Population  Information  System  of  the  Population  Register 
Centre and updated regularly. The population of individuals is divided into strata. The 
strata  are  formed  according  to  NUTS  1  regions  with  over-sampling  from  the 
Autonomous Territory of the Åland Islands. 

The  sampling  unit  is  the  individual.  The  theoretical  sample  comprises  37 500  persons 
per quarter corresponding to a sampling rate of about 0.92% over the quarter. 

In each stratum systematic random selection is applied to the frame sorted according to 
the  domicile  code  and  personal  identity  number  which  yields  implicit  geographic 
stratification. So far no indication of selection bias due to systematic sampling has been 
encountered,  so  the  selection  procedure  can  be  approximated  by  simple  random 
sampling without replacement (SRSWOR).  

The sample for the household-based study is based on the individuals who participate in 
the  last  wave  (fifth)  of  the  current  study  design  of  the  continuous  Community  LFS. 
Household  members  are  interviewed  throughout  the  reference  year.  The  reference 
person  is  interviewed  as  usual  in  the  continuous  survey.  After  that  the  household 
composition is checked and persons aged 15 to 74 are interviewed.  

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

51

 
Because the continuous survey sample frame only includes persons aged 15 to 74 years, 
a separate sample of dwelling units was drawn to correct the frame for elderly persons. 
A technical sample of persons aged 75 or more was added to the file of the fifth wave 
after  data  collection.  This  technical  sample  corrects  the  sampling  frame,  which  in  the 
continuous LFS is limited to persons aged 15 to 74 years. However, this technical part 
of  the  sample  is  not  interviewed.  Instead,  data  are  imputed  on  the  assumption  that 
persons aged 75 or more are outside the labour force, together with data available from 
administrative files.  

Thus,  in  the  LFS  sample  there  are  two  sets  of  persons  aged  75  or  older  for  all  four 
quarters of  the  reference year. One  part comes from the household interviews  and  the 
second part from the technical sample of households (dwelling units), added to the file 
after data collection, where all persons are at least 75 years old. For this group, variables 
to determine the ILO labour status are imputed so that this results as inactivity. As for 
the other variables, only data available from administrative files are incorporated. The 
technical  sample  is  needed  because  the  original  LFS  sample  does  not  include 
households where all persons are at least 75 years old. 

Each person is to be interviewed five times in the panel in the course of 15 months. The 
monthly LFS has a rotating panel design with the varying rotation scheme and after a 
person  reaches  the  fifth  interview,  he/she  will  be  automatically  dropped  from  the 
rotation scheme. In the first month the person is in the panel in wave one and, after a 
two-month  break,  the  person  will  be  interviewed  in  the  second  wave,  and  so  on.  The 
rotation pattern is 1-2-1-2-1-5-1-2-1, where ‘1’ means that a person is in the panel, ‘2’ 
and ‘5’ mean the break months for that person. Thus the period between the interviews 
of a sample person is three months, except between the third and the fourth interview 
when  it  is  six  months.  This  corresponds  to  a  quarterly  rotation  pattern  of  3-(1)-2  and 
monthly rotation of 1-(2)-1-(2)-1-(5)-1-(2)-1. 

A sub-sample is used to survey some structural variables (mostly on relations between 
household  members,  atypical  work,  reasons  for  leaving  last  job/  not  seeking 
employment/  not  being  available  to  start  work  within  2  weeks,  situation  one  year 
before,  and  others)  in  Commission  Regulation  (EC)  377/2008,  for  which  only  yearly 
results are required. The sub-sample is determined according to a wave approach, i.e. it 
includes the units of each full quarterly sample which, according to the rotation scheme, 
are interviewed for the fifth and last time (5th wave). Thus the full sub-sample for the 
structural variables is spread over all the weeks of a year and has a theoretical size of 
about 28 800 persons. 

Weighting procedure 

A. Weighting of individuals 

Step  1  -  Post-stratified  weights:  The  240  post-strata  are  constructed  by  sex  (2),  age 
group (6) and region (20). 

Step  2  -  Calibrated  weights:  The  post-stratified  weights  are  calibrated  according  to 
gender, age group, region, reference week and status in Ministry of Labour’s job-seeker 
register.  

B. Weighting of the sub-sample of households 

 52 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
Step 1 - Post-stratified weights: The post-stratified weights are calculated separately for 
the  household  sample  part  and  the  technical  sample  of  households  (all  persons  in  the 
household who are aged 75 or more).  

i)  Post-stratified  weights  for  the  household  sample  are  adjusted  corresponding  to  the 
population numbers of the survey quarter in the age groups 15-74 years by region (20).  

ii)  Post-stratified  weights  for  the  technical  sample  of  households  (all  persons  in  the 
household  who  are  aged  75  or  more)  are  adjusted  corresponding  to  the  population 
numbers of the survey quarter in the age 75 or more by gender post-strata. 

The combined post-stratified weights are composed from these two parts. 

Step 2 - Calibrated weights:  

The combined post-stratified weights are calibrated according to region, household size, 
gender, age group, register-based job-seeker status taken from an administrative register 
maintained by Ministry of Labour and the following estimates from the full sample of 
individuals:  employment  and  unemployment  status  by  gender  and  age  group,  level  of 
education by gender and number of employees by gender.  

C. Weighting of the sub-sample of structural variables (wave approach) 

Step  1  -  Post-stratified  weights:  The    240  post-strata  are  constructed  by  sex  (2),  age 
group (6) and region (20). 

Step  2  -  Calibrated  weights:  The  post-stratified  weights  are  calibrated  according  to 
employed, unemployed and inactive population by age/sex groups, region and status in 
the  sub-sample  are  adjusted 
Ministry  of  Labour’s 
corresponding  to  the  whole  sample  estimates  for  employment,  unemployment  and 
inactive population by sex and for the following age groups: 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-
54, 55+. 

job-seeker  register.  Thus 

Data collection 

The  Labour  Force  Survey  is  based  on  a  computer-aided  telephone  interview  using 
decentralised  computer-assisted  telephone  interviewing  (CATI).  Interviews  are  carried 
out  in  Finnish,  Swedish  and  English.  Demographic  information  (sex,  year  of  birth, 
marital status, nationality) and information about highest level of completed education 
or training, and field of education are obtained from administrative sources (Population 
Register, Register of Completed Education and Degrees). 

In 2014, 4.1% of the interviews of 15-74 year olds were carried out by proxy. 

The  average  response  rate  was  72.0%  in  2014.  Refusals  accounted  for  67.1%  of  the 
total non-response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2007:  Implementation of the wave approach. 

2008:   Extension  of  the  wave  approach.  Redesign  of  the  questionnaire  to  tie  in  with 

Regulation 430/2005.  

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

53

 
 
 SWEDEN (SE)   

General 

The Swedish Labour Force Survey started in 1959, with a quarterly survey introduced 
in 1963 and a monthly survey in 1970. From 1993, the reference weeks are distributed 
uniformly  throughout  the  year  and  the  survey  provides  monthly,  quarterly  and  annual 
results. In April 2005 a new questionnaire was introduced, together with a full renewal 
of the sample. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

Through  sampling  of  individuals,  persons  living  in  both  private  and  collective 
households are covered. Persons living in a collective household are also recorded in the 
central population register and are therefore sampled as well as persons living in private 
households. 

The resident population for the purposes of the survey comprises persons between the 
ages of 15 and 74 who are domiciled in Sweden according to the population register. 

A household is either a person that lives alone or persons that live together and share 
household expenses. Members of the household are included in wave 8 (the last wave) 
according to EU definitions of economic households. 

Sampling plan 

The sampling design is a stratified single stage systematic sampling of individuals.  

The sampling frame is Statistics Sweden’s Register of the Total Population, which also 
contains auxiliary information on sex, age and region (county). 

The  sample  is  drawn  at  the  end  of  the  fourth  quarter  every  year  to  cover  the  coming  year’s 
need of new sample persons. The total sample consists of two separate samples.  

The first sample (regular LFS) consists of 21 500 individuals per month and is stratified 
according  to  county  and  sex.  In  this  way  48  strata  are  constructed.  The  inclusion 
probabilities  are  in  general  proportional  to  the  size  of  the  strata,  although  some  small 
counties  have  to  be  overrepresented  in  the  sample.  The  age  group  16-64  is  also 
overrepresented.  

The second sample (supplementary sample) consists of 8 000 individuals per month and  
is stratified according to region, sex, country of birth, age group (13-24, 25-54, 55-66) 
and information from Statistics Sweden's Income and Taxation register (IoT) combined 
with information from Statistics Sweden's Longitudinal integration database for health 
insurance and labour market studies (LISA). In this way 105 strata are constructed. We 
overrepresent individuals that have specific characteristics according to IoT and LISA. 

The inclusion probability for individual k on a certain survey occasion is calculated 

approximately as:

j

, where 

=π

n
h
k N

h

j

jhn = The number of individuals in the sample that belong to sample stratum h and to the year’s sample j. 

jhN = The number of individuals in the population in stratum h at sample selection occasion j. 

 54 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
The inclusion probabilities for individuals in a monthly sample vary primarily with the 
share  of  the  current  sample  that  consists  of  the  total  sample  in  a  month.  Every  month 
samples from two or three different years are represented. 

The theoretical quarterly sampling rate is approximately 1.2%. The quarterly sample is 
made  of  three  independent  monthly  samples  of  about  29 500  persons  each.  Every 
monthly sample consists of eight rotation panels (waves), of which 7/8 recur after three 
months and 1/8 is replaced by new individuals. Persons in the sample are interviewed 
once a quarter with a total of eight interviews during a two-year period, after which they 
leave the sample. Due to the introduction of the new Swedish LFS as from April 2005 
there was a break in the rotation as no persons sampled for the old LFS were allowed to 
continue  being  interviewed  in  the  new  LFS.  This  meant  that  a  majority  of  the 
respondents  in  April  2005  were  interviewed  for  the  first  time,  although  they  were 
assigned to different rotation panels.  

Weighting procedure 

The  estimates  build  on  regression  estimators  (GREG)  with  a  set  of  auxiliary 
information.  The  auxiliary  variables  are:  sex*age  (13  age  groups),  region  (NUTS  3), 
nationality at birth, information on employed persons by industry and persons who have 
enrolled at a job-centre as unemployed and  are looking for work. The registers which 
are used to obtain the auxiliary variables are the Register of Total Population (RTB), the 
Employment  Register  (SREG)  and  the  National  Labour  Markets  Board's  Register  of 
job-seekers (SOK). The estimator is a generalised regression estimator (GREG) briefly 
described below: 
From a given sample design we have a sample s with a sample size  ns
mr

 are respondents. A GREG estimator for a total, based on data from this sample, is: 

 A part r of size 

∃t
y

= ∑

r

w y
k

k

where 

ytˆ  = Estimate of a total, e.g. number of employed 

⎧
 =y  k
⎨
⎩

1 = If the individual has the characteristic in question 
0 = Otherwise  
wk =  Final weight 

= 1 πθ∃ = Design weight with respect to non-response. 

wk = gk×dk, 
(
d k
πk = Inclusion probability for individual k 

)

k

k

∃θk = The estimated probability of being a respondent for individual k,  ∃θk

=

m
h
n

h

 when k belongs to 

stratum h. 

g

k

1
= +

(

t

x

−

∃
t
x

′

)

⎛
⎜
⎝

∑

r

x k

= (

x

1
k

, ... ,

x

jk

, ...

x

Jk

q
x x
′
k
k
∃πθ
) '

k

k

1
−

k

⎞
⎟
⎠

x

q

k

k

.Correction factor by using the auxiliary information 

is a vector for auxiliary information of length J. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

55

 
 
x

1

xJ

t
t

..,

= (
=

qk  is a known constant. 
t
t
)
,...,
t x
xj
∃
( ∃ ,..., ∃ .., ∃ )
t
t
t x
xj
a given element  t xj  is given by: 
∃t
x

d x
k
The variance for  ∃t y  is estimated as 

= ∑

xJ

1

x

k

r

is a vector of length J consisting of known register totals. 
is a vector of estimates of the elements in vector  t x . Where the estimate of 

∃( ∃
V t yGREG =

)

∑∑

r

kl

∃
kl

∃
−
π θ πθπθ
l
k
∃
π θ
kl
kl

∃
k

l

w e w e
k

k

l

l

where 
π kl  is the second order inclusion probability, 

∃θ kl  is the estimated probability that k and l belongs to r (i.e. the respondents),  ∃θ kl

=

m
h
n

h

m
h
n

n

−
−

1
1

, 

k

l≠  and 

e

k

=

y

k

− ∃B 'x ,  B =
k

−

1

⎛
⎜
⎝

∑

r

'
q
x x
k
k
∃
π θ
k
k

k

⎞
⎟
⎠

∑

r

k

y q
x
k
k
∃
π θ
k
k

Data collection 

The  information  is,  for  the  most  part,  collected  in  telephone  interviews  by  Statistics 
Sweden’s  interviewers.  Interviews  are  conducted  using  computer-assisted  telephone 
technology. Data on sex, age, region, country of birth, industrial code, level and field of 
education and years of residence in Sweden are collected from administrative registers. 

In 2014, less than 3.0% of the interviews of 15-74 year olds were proxy interviews. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  64.3%.  Refusals  accounted  for  40.1%  of  the 
total non-response. 

UNITED KINGDOM (UK) 

General 

The  survey  started  in  1973  as  a  biennial  survey  (not  using  the  ILO  definition  of 
unemployment).  It  was  redesigned  in  1984  as  an  annual  survey  and  from  1992  as  a 
continuous, quarterly survey. 

The survey covers private households and includes persons who are temporarily absent. 
Students  living  in  university  accommodation  (e.g.  halls  of  residence)  are  sampled  via 
their  parents  living  in  private  households.  In  Great  Britain,  an  additional  sample  is 
in  National  Health  Service/Hospital  Trust 
drawn 
accommodation. 

to  cover  persons 

living 

The UK LFS is a voluntary survey. 

In general, the resident population comprises persons who regard the sample address as 
their main address. However, persons who have lived in a dwelling during the reference 

 56 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
 
 
week are considered as members of the resident population, even if they do not regard 
this as their principal dwelling, unless they are staying in the UK only for the purposes 
of  recreation,  holiday,  visits  to  friends  and  relatives,  business,  medical  treatment  or 
religious pilgrimage, and who remain(s) resident abroad. Such cases are not included in 
the UK LFS.  

A private household comprises one or more persons whose main residence is the same 
dwelling and/or who share at least one meal per day. Students aged 16 + who live in a 
collective household but who return to their parents for the holidays are also regarded as 
being a member of their parents' household. 

The  year  is  divided  into  quarters  of  13  weeks:  Q1  (January  to  March),  Q2  (April  to 
June),  Q3  (July  to  September)  and  Q4  (October  to  December).  For  each  of  these 
periods, the reference weeks are distributed uniformly over the 13 weeks. 

Labour  market  information  is  gathered  for  all  persons  who  have  reached  16  years  of 
age. 

Sampling plan 

The sampling design is a stratified single stage systematic (single random in Northern 
Ireland) probability sampling. 

The  survey  unit  is  the  postal  address  (the  telephone  number  in  the  far  north  of 
Scotland). For most of Great Britain, the survey base is the Royal Mail's PAF (Postcode 
Address File), a database of all addresses receiving mail. The list is limited to addresses 
receiving fewer than 50 items of post per day, in order to exclude businesses. Because 
of the very low population density in the far north of Scotland (north of the Caledonian 
Canal),  interviews  are  carried  out  exclusively  by  telephone  with  telephone  directories 
being  used  as  sampling  frames.  In  Northern  Ireland,  the  Rating  and  Valuation  List 
(which serves for the administration of land taxes) is used.  

Most of Great Britain constitutes one stratum, while the far north of Scotland forms a 
separate  stratum  and  Northern  Ireland  three  strata:  Belfast  and  eastern  and  western 
Northern Ireland. 

In  Great  Britain,  a  systematic  sample  is  drawn  each  quarter  from  the  three  sampling 
bases,  which  yields  16,640  PAF  addresses,  80  telephone  numbers  for  the  north  of 
Scotland and nine units of National Health Service housing. As the PAF is broken down 
geographically,  the  systematic  sampling  ensures  that  the  sample  is  representative  at 
regional  level.  In  Northern  Ireland,  a  simple  random  sample  is  drawn,  each  quarter, 
from each of the three strata, giving 650 addresses in all. Additionally, 260 additional 
(‘booster’) new addresses are added to the sample in Quarter 2 of each year; these are 
spread equally across the five waves. Thus, in any one quarter, a total of about 17,380 
addresses  are  newly-selected  in  the  UK  for  the  main  LFS  (excluding  the  Northern 
Ireland boosters). 

The  number  of  selected  households  in  a  given  quarter  is  about  87,100  in  the  UK, 
representing about 0.33% of the UK households.  

Two  changes  were  made  to  the  sample  design  in  2010  that  mean  the  LFS  samples  in 
Great  Britain  and  also  in  Northern  Ireland  are  strictly  no  longer  equal  probability 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

57

 
samples, although the effect of the changes is relatively small. These changes relate to 
multiple-occupancy  addresses  and  to  households  found  that  have  only  adults  aged  75 
plus. A rotation system comprising five waves is used. Respondents are questioned five 
times at 13-week intervals and one-fifth of the sample is replaced each quarter. 

A sub-sample is used to survey some structural variables (mostly on atypical work, the 
situation one year before, and others) under Commission Regulation (EC) No 377/2008, 
for which only yearly results are required. The sub-sample is determined according to a 
wave approach, i.e. it includes the units of each full quarterly sample which, according 
to the rotation scheme, are interviewed for the first time (1st wave). This corresponds to 
one  fifth  of  each  quarterly  sample.  The  full  sub-sample  for  the  structural  variables  is 
thus  spread  over  all  the  weeks  of  a  year  and  has  a  theoretical  size  of  about  68 000 
addresses. 

Weighting procedure 

The  adjustment  procedure  is  based  on  a  three-stage  a  posteriori  stratification.  In  each 
case, figures are based on independent demographic estimates. 

(a)  The  stratification  variable  for  the  first  stage  is  the  Local  Authority  District  or 
Unitary Authority. This stage makes it possible to make adjustments for different 
rates  of  non-response  in  the  various  local  authority  areas  and  ensures  that  the 
results are geographically representative. 

(b)  The second-stage variables are sex and age group (0-15, each year of age in the 
16-24 group and 25 +). This stratification is intended to ensure that the age profile 
of the 16-24 year olds is correct at national level. 

(c)  The variables in the third stage are region, sex and five-year age group. 

The three stages are applied by means of an iterative procedure designed to ensure that 
the estimates are consistent with the stratification variable sets. 

Data collection 

Interviews  are  carried  out  on  a  face-to-face  basis  with  the  help  of  portable  computers 
(CAPI)  for  the  interviews  in  the  first  wave.  In  the  far  north  of  Scotland  (north  of  the 
Caledonian  Canal)  and  for  interviews  in  the  second  to  fifth  waves  wherever  possible, 
interviews  are  carried  out  by  telephone  (CATI).  All  information  is  obtained  by 
interview. 

Results  for  respondents  who  are  not  contacted  in  waves  2  to  5  or  who  refuse  for 
circumstantial reasons are carried forward from the previous wave if an interview has 
been carried out in the previous wave.  

35.5% of the interviews of persons aged 16-74 years in 2014 were carried out by proxy. 

The  average  response  rate  in  2014  was  60.2%.  Refusals  accounted  for  81.3%  of  the 
total non-response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  Move from seasonal to calendar quarters. 

2007:  Redefinition of some NUTS 2 regions. 

 58 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
2008:  

−  Change  of  residency  rules  (i.e.  the  six-month  residency  rule  removed  from 
household  surveys),  in  order  to  improve  coverage  of  short-term  migrants  and 
temporary foreign workers;  

− 

Implementation of the wave approach. 

2010:  Adaptations to the sample design relating to multiple-occupancy addresses and 

to households that have only adults aged 75 plus. 

ICELAND (IS) 

General 

The survey started in 1991 as a semi-annual survey. Since 2003 the survey has covered 
all weeks of the year uniformly, providing quarterly results. 

Since  beginning  of  the  year  2011  the  survey  covers  persons  aged  16-74  years  in  both 
private and collective households. 

The  resident  population  comprises  persons  registered  with  domicile  in  Iceland, 
excluding persons attached to foreign missions and registered persons living abroad for 
more than six months, but including Icelandic personnel in missions abroad. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. The definition of private household used is that 
of housekeeping unit. 

Sampling plan 

The sampling plan is a one-stage simple random sample without stratification. 

Each  quarter  one  fifth  of  the  sample  is  renewed  by  a  single  random  sample  without 
replacement of persons younger than 75 in the first week of the quarter and older than 
16 in the last week at the end of the rotation cycle. 

The  quarterly  sample  is  sorted  according  to  sex,  age  and  residence  and  then  allocated 
systematically (with random start) to the 13 weeks of the quarters so that each week is 
representative of the total sample by age, sex and residence. A person younger than 16 
on the last day of the reference week is not included in the weekly sample until this age 
is reached. 

The survey frame is the National Population Register; all persons aged 16-74 years with 
domicile in Iceland. 

The sample size each quarter is 4,030 individuals, giving an average sampling rate of 
about 1.9%. 

The sampling unit is the individual. The household sub-sample is selected from the fifth 
and last wave so that the sampling probability is inversely proportional to the number of 
persons aged 16-74 years in the household of the drawn individual. 

The  survey  follows  a  rotating  panel  sample  design,  according  to  the  rotation  design  

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

59

 
 
3-(2)-2. 

Weighting procedure 

The a posteriori stratification variables are five-year age groups and sex. 

The weighting factors are calculated as follows: 

w = N(sa)/[n(sa) + n'(sa)] 

where  N  =  population,  s  =  sex,  a  =  age,  n  =  sample  size  and  n'  =  estimated  over-
coverage (i.e. registered persons living abroad for more than six months as detected in 
the field work). 

Data collection 

Interviews are carried out by telephone with the aid of computers (CATI). Information 
on  sex,  age,  years  of  residence,  citizenship  and  marital  status  is  obtained  from 
administrative sources (National Population Register). 

In 2014, 0.3% of the interviews were carried out by proxy. 

The average response rate in 2014 was 79.0% Refusals accounted for 39% of the total 
non-response. 

NORWAY (NO) 

General 

The Norwegian labour force survey started in 1972 as a quarterly survey. From 1996, 
the survey has been designed as a continuous survey providing quarterly results. 

It covers private and collective households  

Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

The definition of household used is concept of housekeeping unit (i.e. persons living in 
the same dwelling with joint board).  

The definition of resident population is the de jure one based on the Central Population 
Register. 

Sampling plan 

Inhabitants  in  all  municipalities  are  randomly  selected,  on  the  basis  of  a  register  of 
family  units.  Each  family  member  aged  15-74  participates  in  the  survey  answering 
questions about their situation during a specified reference week (the lower age limit to 
be included in the sample was changed from 16 to 15 from 2006).  

The sampling frame is based on the Central Population Register, which is continuously 
updated  by  the  local  population  registration  offices.  The  sampling  frame  is  stratified 
according to county (NUTS 3 regions). 

Each  quarter  the  sample  approximately  consists  of  24 000  persons  (12 000  families), 
corresponding to a sampling rate of about 0.62%. 

 60 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
Each family participates in the survey 8 times at 3-monthly intervals during a period of 
8 (subsequent) quarters. 

A  sub-sample  is  used  to  survey  some  of  the  structural  variables  (mostly  for  atypical 
work, reasons for leaving last job/ not seeking employment/ not being available to start 
work within two weeks and others) under Commission Regulation (EC) No 377/2008, 
for which only yearly results are required. The sub-sample is determined according to a 
wave approach, i.e. it includes the units of each full quarterly sample which, according 
to the rotation scheme, are interviewed for the first and for the eighth and last time (1st 
and 8th wave). Thus the full sub-sample for the structural variables is spread over all the 
weeks of a year and has a theoretical size of about 24 000 persons. 

Weighting procedure 

The  estimation  is  done  by  a  post-stratification  method  using  information  from  the 
Central  Population  Register,  the  Register  of  Employees  and  the  Tax  Register.  The 
expansion factors are calculated according to the population totals aged 15-74, i.e. the 
institutional population included. The post-stratification adjusted weights are calibrated 
within each of the 19 counties, which is equivalent to the NUTS3 level, with respect to 
the marginal totals of the same auxiliary variables. 

Data collection 

All interviews are carried out by telephone (CATI). Information on age, sex, county of 
residence, children below 15 years, nationality and years of residence is obtained from 
the Central Population Register and data on education are based on the Central Register 
of Education. 

In 2014, 16.7% of the interviews were carried out by proxy. 

The  response  rate  in  2014  was  approximately  80.1%.  Refusals  accounted  for  7.0%  of 
the total non-response.  

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  

−  Redesign of questionnaire for improved EU comparability of ILO labour status.  

−  Lower age limit moved to 15.  

− 

Implementation of the wave approach. 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

61

 
 
 
 
 
SWITZERLAND (CH) 

General 

The Labour Force Survey in Switzerland was carried out for the first time in 1991 as an 
annual survey. It was conducted in the second quarter of each year (April-June), having 
as the reference week the week before the interview. In 2010 the LFS was redesigned as 
a  quarterly  survey,  providing  results  as  quarterly  average.  The  survey  population 
consists of all persons living in private households aged 15 years and older. The Swiss 
LFS covers only the permanent resident population in Switzerland and excludes some 
categories  of  foreign  persons.  The  permanent  resident  population  includes  all  persons 
officially  residing  in  Switzerland  for  the  entire  year.  Swiss  citizens,  foreign  citizens 
holding a permanent residence permit or a residence permit valid for at least one year, 
international  civil  servants,  diplomats  and  their  family  members  all  fall  into  this 
category. 

Only  private  households  are  covered.  The  LFS  is  conducted  as  a  household/person 
survey meaning only one person per household is selected for the interview. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

A household comprises either a person living alone or two or more persons, whether or 
not  they  are  of  the  same  family,  who  usually  occupy  the  same  dwelling  (dwelling 
concept). 

Sampling plan 

Since 2003 the Swiss LFS is divided into two parts: 

a) 

b) 

Standard sample (2014: 80’005 household/persons – 1st and 3rd wave). Until Q1 
2014,  the  base  used  for  the  standard  sample  came  from  the  registered  phone 
numbers, which at present covers around 80% of the Swiss population. 
Extra sample of foreign persons (2014: 16’006 persons – 1st and 3rd wave). Until 
Q1 2014 the base used for the extra sample was the register of foreign persons in 
Switzerland.  The  register  allows  the  sample  to  be  stratified  according  to 
individual characteristics (region, nationality). 

From Q2 2014 on, the base used for both subsamples is the SFSO's Sampling Frame for 
Person  and  Household  Surveys,  which  contains  administrative  data  provided  by 
cantonal  and  communal  resident's  register  offices  and  covers  100%  of  Switzerland's 
permanent resident population.  

First,  a  random  Poisson  sample  of  households  is  drawn  from  the  sampling  frame. 
Subsequently,  one  person  of  each  household  in  this  first  stage  sample  is  selected  by 
simple  random  sampling.  The  final  gross  samples  (standard,  foreign  persons)  are 
stratified by canton (the sample size of each stratum is proportionate to the population 
size  of  the  respective  canton).  The  quarterly  gross  sample  consists  of  approximately 
41250  persons,  which  represents  a  sampling  rate  of  about  0.6%  (per  quarter)  of  the 
population aged 15 years and older. 

In  the  LFS  a  rotation  system  comprising  four  waves  is  used.  Each  unit  (person)  is 
interviewed  four  times  on  15  months  following  the  3-9-3  pattern  (the  1st  interview  is 

 62 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
followed by a 2nd interview three months later, the 2nd interview is followed by a 3rd 
interview  nine  months  later,  the  3rd  interview  is  followed  by  a  4th  interview  three 
months later ). The size of the first wave is normally 28-30% of the total sample size. 

A sub-sample is used to survey some structural variables (mostly on atypical work, the 
situation one year before, and others) under Commission Regulation (EC) No 377/2008, 
for which only yearly results are required. The sub-sample is determined according to a 
wave approach, i.e. it includes the units of each full quarterly sample which, according 
to the rotation scheme, are interviewed for the first and the third time (1st and 3rd wave). 

 Weighting procedure 

The  weighting  procedure  is  based  on  a  two-phase  process:  In  a  first  step,  the  design 
weights are obtained as the reciprocal of the inclusion probability of the sample units. In 
a  second  step,  these  weights  are  adjusted  for  non-response,  and  finally  the  sample  is 
calibrated on age, sex, marital status, canton of residence, nationality, residence permit, 
and duration of residence using the calibration software CALMAR. 

Data collection 

Interviews  are  carried  out  by  telephone  (CATI).  In  the  CATI  questionnaire,  data 
previously gathered in the preceding wave are included. The questionnaire exists in four 
languages  (German,  French,  Italian  and  English).  All  information  is  obtained  by 
interview. 

1.9% of the interviews with persons aged 15-74 years were carried out by proxy. 

The  response  rate  in  2014  was  81.2%.  Refusals  accounted  for  16%  of  the  total  non-
response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2010:  Shifting  from  an  annual  to  a  quarterly  survey,  making  the  participation 

compulsory, and revising the questionnaire. 

2012:  Shifting from a compulsory to voluntary participation in the third quarter 2012. 

2014: Introduction of a new sampling frame for both subsamples (Sampling Frame for 

Person and Household Surveys) in the second quarter 2014.   

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

63

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA (MK) 

General 

The Macedonian LFS is a household survey, which provides some socio-demographic 
information  on  population  without  age  limit  and  labour  market  information  on  the 
population aged 15-79. The survey covers the whole country. Only private households 
are surveyed. 

The  survey  applies  to  all  the  members  of  the  selected  households  including  persons 
absent from home for a longer period (over 6 months), if they are preserving family ties 
with  the  household  to  which  they  belong  (military  duty;  pupils  and  students  away  for 
study;  workers;  prisoners;  persons  temporarily  in  hospitals  or  sanatoria  for  medical 
treatment), and they are surveyed via the relatives living in the selected households. In 
the  case  of  persons  living  abroad,  they  are  surveyed  only  if  they  are  absent  up  to  12 
months.  Persons  living  permanently  in  collective  units  (elderly,  handicapped,  etc.)  are 
not included in the survey. 

The reference weeks are all the weeks of the year, evenly spread. 

Starting  with  2004,  the  labour  force  survey  is  conducted  as  a  continuous  quarterly 
survey  throughout  the  year.  The  survey  provides  quarterly  and  annual  (averages) 
results. 

Participation in the survey is voluntary. 

Sampling plan 

The Labour Force Survey is based on a two-stage stratified sample design. The sample 
design strata are defined in terms of geographic regions, area types (i.e. urban and rural) 
and size of enumeration districts (ED).  

The  sampling  frame  is  2002  Population  and  Housing  Census.  Primary  sampling  units 
(clusters) are ED, whereas households constitute the final sampling units. 

In  each  sampled  ED,  a  fixed  number  of  households  (8)  is  selected  with  random 
sampling. The final quarterly sample consists on the whole of 5 000 households and is 
made up of three monthly sub-samples (3). There is no overlap between monthly sub-
samples. 

The  overall  sample  size  per  quarter  is  approximately  5 000  households,  which 
represents  an    average  quarterly  sampling  rate  of  about  0.9%,  estimated  as  a  ratio 
between number of sampled households after the two sampling stages, and total number 
of households at country level. 

The LFS sample is stratified in eight regions, by types of locality (urban & rural) and by 
size of the ED. Total number of strata is 32. 

Rotation model 2-(2)-2 is applied in the sample of LFS. The households are interviewed 
in two consecutive quarters and provide labour market information, then omitted in the 
next two quarters, then included again for another two quarters, after which they leave 

(3) Annual sample is defined by pooling the quarterly samples and dividing the quarterly weights by four. All data on the sample 
reflect this concept which implies that, owing to rotation, a specific unit can occur in the annual sample once or twice. 

 64 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
                                                           
the sample. The above rotation model results in an overlap of 1/2 between consecutive 
quarters and an overlap of 1/2 between the same quarters in two consecutive years. At 
any time, the sample is made up of a panel of new entrants (1/4 of sample), which is 
interviewed for the first time, and of three panels of units previously surveyed. 

Weighting procedure 

Data are weighted for unequal probability of selection. The first step assigns the inverse 
of the selection probabilities to each sampled household unit. In the second step design 
weights are then adjusted for non-response by multiplying the basic weights by inverse 
of  response  rate  at  strata  level.  The  third  and  final  step  consists  in  calibrating  the 
secondary weights to the best latest available regional population totals for gender and 
15 age groups, and to the estimated number of households at regional level and to the 
estimated number of households by size at national level. The post-stratification is done 
at  household  level  (the  members  in  any  sampled  households  have  the  same  calibrated 
weight  as  the  household).  In  the  calculation  of  weighting  factors  the  totals  known  at 
population  level  from  current  demographic  statistics  at  regional  level,  recalculated  on 
2002 Census population, are used.  

The sample population in private households is not expanded to the total population (i.e. 
the population in collective households is not included). 

Variables used for weighting are: sex, 15 age groups (0-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 
35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+), regions (NUTS 3), 
estimated number of households at regional level and estimated number of households 
by size at national level. 

Data collection 
Data are collected by face-to-face paper and pencil interviews (PAPI). In the 4th quarter 
2011 telephone interviewing (CATI) was implemented. Interviews are done during the 
week  immediately  following  the  reference  week.  Data  are  collected  with  identical 
questionnaires through the whole year.  

The questionnaire is divided into two parts, a household questionnaire and an individual 
one.  

In 2014 the average response rate was 75.4%. Refusals accounted for 57.6% of the total 
non-response. In 2014, 54.4% of the interviews of persons aged 15-74 were by proxy. 

Major changes in recent years 

2006:  Delivery of microdata to Eurostat. 

2011: Introduction of telephone interviewing (CATI) 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

65

 
 
 
TURKEY (TR) 

General 

The  Labour  Force  Surveys  in  Turkey  started  in  1966,  while  regular  annual  Labour 
Force  Surveys  applying  ILO  recommendations  started  in  October  1988.  The  Turkish 
LFS  was  carried  out  in  April  and  October  each  year  from  1989  to  1999  with  major 
changes in design introduced in October 1994. In 2004 the questionnaire was revised to 
conform  to  the  Eurostat  regulation.  From  2000  onwards  the  survey  has  produced 
quarterly results, and from 2005 monthly results using moving 3-month averages. Since 
2014 all weeks of the year (52 weeks) are used as the reference period. 

The survey covers the whole country. Only private households are surveyed. 

The  population  surveyed  comprises  all  persons  in  the  country  excluding  residents  of 
collective households. The small settlements (villages, districts etc.) having less than 20 
households  are  not  covered  in  the  sampling  frame  (at  most  1%  of  the  population  is 
excluded). Participation in the survey is compulsory. 

A  household  comprises  one  person  or  a  group  of  persons  with  or  without  a  family 
relationship who live in the same house or in the same part of the house, who meet their 
common  requirements  together  and  take  part  in  the  tasks  and  management  of  the 
household. 

Sampling plan 

The  sampling  frame  is  the  National  Address  Database  which  is  based  on  the  2007 
Address  Based  Population  Registry  System.  The  National  Address  Database  is 
continuously  updated.  The  sampling  design  is  a  two  stage  stratified  cluster  sampling 
with eight subsamples. 

Each household participates in the survey according to the rotation pattern 2-(2)-2. To 
achieve the rotation pattern on household basis, sample was divided into two subsets, as 
A and B. In any application round of LFS and in any cluster included in that round, only 
one  of  these  subsets  of  the  cluster  is  used  (A  or  B).    Figure  given  above  shows  the 
overlapping  sample  households  to  measure  the  change  between  successive  quarters. 
Overlapping sub-samples between first and second quarter is shown by brackets and it 
is 50%. Also for the same quarter by years, the overlapping ratio remains the same as 
50%.The quarterly sample size is approximately 44 000 households, corresponding to a 
sample rate of about 0.22%. 

In the first stage of sampling, the primary sampling unit is defined as blocks containing 
approximately 100 households (between 80 and 120). Primary sampling units (blocks) 
are  selected  systematically  from  province  x  Urban/Rural  classes.  Selection  of  the 
second  stage  units  (household  addresses)  are  based  on  the  rotation  pattern.  When  the 
PSU's are firstly entered to the sample, 20 households (10 households for each of A and 
B sets)are selected systematically from each selected PSU which were established from 
National Address Database.      

 66 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
Weighting procedure 

The results are weighted to the projected population, using a three-stage procedure. 

In the first stage each sampling unit is assigned the design weights. In the second stage 
the initial weights are adjusted for non-response.  

In  the  last  stage  the  weights  are  calibrated  to  the  projected  population  distributions, 
using a two-step raking ratio method. The calibration characteristics are NUTS 2 by the 
urban-rural  distributions  and  age  group  by  sex  distributions  are  adjusted  iteratively. 
Also an adjustment to frame distribution of household size is applied. 

Data collection 

The  data  are  collected  each  month  using  Computer  Assisted  Personal  Interviewing 
(CAPI).  

From 2004 until 2013, the first week of each month starting on Monday and ending on 
Sunday  was  used  as  the  reference  period.    From  2014  onwards  the  reference  week  is 
evenly  spread  over  the  entire  year  and  the  field  application  is  completed  within 
approximately 15 days. In 2014, 20.9% of the interviews of persons aged 15-74 years 
were by proxy. 

Overall  response  rate  in  2014  was  90.7%.  Refusals  accounted  for  around  1.7%  of  the 
total non-response. 

Major changes in recent years 

2006:   Delivery of micro-data to Eurostat. 

2009:  

−  Changes to the questionnaire, including: an improved verification of ILO labour 
status of seasonal workers; the deletion of some variables deemed unsuitable for 
the  country  situation  (ex;  variables  on  atypical  works);  fine  tunings  on  the 
wording  of  some  questions,  to  better  align  to  Commission  Regulation  No 
1897/2000  and  in  particular  to  the  twelve  principles  for  the  formulation  of 
questions on labour status. 

−  Definition for resident population aligned to the Census 2011 recommendations, 

mainly regarding the treatment of students. 

−  From  2009Q1,  results  weighted  using  the  new  population  projections.  Back 
revisions were completed from 2005 onwards and quarterly micro data were re-
sent to Eurostat.  

2014:  Fully introduction of a yearly continuous survey, changes in the sampling design 

and in the weighting scheme.  

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

67

 
 
 
 
Annex (Tables) 

Table 1: Coverage, frequency and response rate of the EU-LFS by country 2014 

Participation 

Population 
interviewed for 
employment status 

BE 

BG 

CZ 

DK 

DE 

EE 

IE 

EL 

ES 

FR 

HR 

IT 

CY 

LV 

LT 

LU 

HU 

MT 

NL 

AT 

PL 

PT 

RO 

SI 

SK 

FI 

SE 

UK 

IS 

NO 

CH 

MK 

TR 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

Compulsory 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

Voluntary 

Voluntary 

Compulsory 

15+ 

15+ 

15+ 

15-74 

15+ 

15-74 

15+ 

15+ 

16+ 

15+ 

15+ 

16+ 

15+ 

15-74 

15+ 

15+ 

15-74 

15+ 

15+ 

15+ 

15+ 

15+ 

15+ 

15+ 

15+ 

15-74 

15-74 

16+ 

16-74 

15-74 

15+ 

15-79 

15+ 

Population in 
institutional 
households 

No 

Via the household (students) 

No 

Sampled 

Yes 

Sampled 

No 

No 

Via the household 

Via the household 

No 

No 
Via the household 
(conscripts) 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Via the household (students 
and servicemen) 

Via the household 

No 

Via the household 

Sampled 

Sampled 

Population in NHS 
accomodation: sampled; 
students: via the household 

Sampled 

Sampled 

No 

No 

No 

Response rate 

72.2  

76.3  

79.4  

53.8  

97.7  

68.7  

76.1  

75.4  

84.8  

79.1  

68.7  

88.2  

95.8  

64.3  

80.5  

15.4  

82.8  

76.3  

57.4  

94.3  

68.6  

85.2  

90.5  

78.7  

89.0  

72.0  

64.4  

60.2  

79.0  

80.1  

81.3  

75.4  

90.7  

 68 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 2: Sampling designs and sample sizes of the EU-LFS by country 2014 

Basis of sampling frame 

Primary sampling 
unit 

Final sampling 
unit 

BE 

Population Register 

Statistical sections 

Households 

BG 

Census 2011 

Census enumeration 
districts  

Households 

CZ 

Register of Census Areas 

Census areas 

Dwellings 

DK 

 Population Register and other registers 

- 

Persons 

DE 

Census 1987 for former BRD/ Central 
Population Register for former DDR / 
Register of new dwellings 

- 

Clusters (sampling 
districts) of dwellings 
Households and 
persons 

EE 

Population Census 2011 

Persons  

Households 

IE 

Census 2011 

Census blocks (of 60 
households) 

Households 

EL 

ES 

FR 

HR 

IT 

CY 

LV 

Census 2001 

Blocks 

Dwellings 

Census 2011 + Population registers 

Geographical areas 

Dwellings 

Tax register (Metrop.) + annual 
population census (DOM) 

Geographical areas 

Clusters of Dwellings 
units 

Census 2011 

Municipal registers 

Census 2011 

Census areas 

Municipalities 

- 

Dwellings 

Households 

Households 

Census 2000, Population Register, 
Demographic Statistics Data 
Processing System 

Census enumeration 
areas 

Dwellings 

LT 

Register of residents  

Set of all telephone numbers 

Register of dwellings 

Census 2011 

LU 

HU 

MT 

NL 

- 

- 

Settlements 

- 

List of postal addresses and population 
register 

Municipalities --> 
mailing addresses 

AT 

Register of residents 

- 

PL 

Census, Register of housing units 

Census clusters 
(towns) / enumeration 
districts (rural) 

Addresses of 
selected persons 

Households 

Dwellings 

Households 

Households 

Dwellings 

Overall 
sampling 
rate per 
quarter 
(%) 

0.30 

0.65 

0.60 

0.93 

Achieved sample 

(average quarter 
2014 ) 

House-
holds 

Persons  
15-74 

10 600  

20 000 

14 000  

24 800 

24 400  

42 200 

- 

25 000 

0.25 

83 200  

127 500 

0.75 

1.51 

0.86 

0.50 

0.25 

0.30 

0.28 

1.50 

2 300  

4 800 

19 100  

37 700 

25 500  

65 500  

44 400 

126 800 

51 900  

84 100 

3 500  

7 200 

65 200  

110 300 

3 800  

7 800 

0.92 

4 700  

7 900 

0.90 

5.00 

0.92 

2.10 

0.70 

0.60 

6 300  

12 400 

1 400  

26 700  

2 400  

2 600 

48 900 

5 000 

41 100  

81 200 

20 000  

34 100 

Dwellings 

0.40 

33 800  

69 800 

PT 

Register of national dwellings  

Geographical areas 

Dwellings  

RO 

Census 2002 

Census sections 

SI 

Central Population register 

- 

SK 

Census 2011 

Census administrative 
units 

FI 

SE 

UK 

Population register 

Population register 

Postal addresses / telephone numbers 
(N Scotl) / housing units (N Irel) 

- 

- 

- 

Clusters of (3) 
dwellings 

Addresses 

Dwellings 

Persons 

Persons 
Postal 
addresses/telephone 
numbers/housing 
units 

0.60 

0.38 

0.80 

0.60 

0.92 

1.20 

16 700  

31 800 

23 600  

45 300 

5 700  

12 300 

9 300  

19 400 

- 

- 

30 900 

56 800 

0.33 

40 900  

73 800 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

69

 
 
 
Table 2: Sampling designs and sample sizes of the EU-LFS by country 2014 

Basis of sampling frame 

Primary sampling 
unit 

Final sampling 
unit 

IS 

NO 

CH 

MK 

TR 

Population register 

Population register 

- 

- 

Persons 

Households 

Sampling Frame for Person and 
Household Surveys (register of 
residents)  

Household   

Persons 

Census 2002 

Enumeration districts  

Households 

National Address Database 

Housing blocks 

Dwellings 

Overall 
sampling 
rate per 
quarter 

1.90 

0.62 

0.60 

0.90 

0.22 

Achieved sample 

(average quarter 
2014 ) 

House-
holds 

Persons  
15-74 

- 

12 500  

3 000 

19 200 

- 

29 800 

3 000  

37 500  

8 300 

93 100 

 70 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 3: Stratification, rotation scheme and weighting in the EU-LFS by country 2014 

Variables used for the 
stratification 

Rotation 
scheme 

Variables of weighting 

Region 

Administrative districts, type of place 
of residence 

1- 

2-(2)-2 

Region (districts, Prague 1 district) 

5- 

Registered unemployment 

2-(2)-2 

Sex, age group, region 

Sex, age group, region, type of place of residence 

Sex, age group, district 
Sex, age group, socio-economic status, income, nationality, level 
of education, status in the unemployment register, region, if the 
dwelling place is recently changed 

Region and size of building 

4-(annual) 

Sex, age group, region, nationality (group), number of households 

Group of regions by population size 

2-(2)-2 

Sex, age group, region, urban/rural, national/non-national 

Region, urbanization (population 
density) 

Region (NUTS3) 

Population size of municipality, socio-
economic characteristics of the 
population 

French region (NUTS2 - Metrop.) + 
infra NUTS 3 (DOM) 

5- 

6- 

6- 

6- 

Sex, age group, region 

Region (NUTS 2), sex, age group 

Sex, age group, region, nationals/non-nationals 

Size of urban entity, size & type of housing, number of new 
dwellings, sex, age group, region 

Counties, city of Zagreb 

2-(2)-2 

Region 

Size categories of municipalities  
within NUTS3 region 

Districts, urban/rural 

Region, urban/rural 

- 

- 

Administrative units, size categories 
of localities 

- 

Region (Corop), employment-
exchange regions 

Bundesland 

Region, urban/rural, urbanization 

Region (NUTS3) 

Region, urban/rural 

NUTS3 regions, size and type of 
settlement (urban/rural) 

NUTS 4 

Region 

Sex, age group, region 

By frame 

– 

County (NUTS 3) 

Region/size of region (in pop.) 

Region, type of settlement 
(urban/rural) and size of the 
enunmeration district 

Urban/rural, density 

2-(2)-2 

Sex, age group, region, nationality (group), number of households 

6- 

2-(2)-2 

2-(2)-2 

- 

6- 

2-(2)-2 

5- 

5- 

2-(2)-2 

6- 

2-(2)-2 

3-(1)-2 

5- 

3-(1)-2 

8- 

5- 

3-(2)-2 

8- 

2-(2)-2 

2-(2)-2 

2-(2)-2 

Sex, age group 

Sex, age group,  region, urban/rural 

Sex, age group,  urban/rural, region 

Sex, age group, size of households, national / non-national 

Sex, age group, region, number of households, population in 
major cities / rural 

District, sex, age group 

Sex, age group, region, ethnic background, type of household,  
income and registration at unemployment office 

Sex, age group,  region, nationality (group), size of household 

Sex, age group, urban/rural 

Sex, age group, region 

County, sex, age group,  urban/rural 

Sex, age group, region 

Sex, age group, region 

Sex, age group, region, registered unemployment 
Sex, age group, region, nation of birth, employment / 
unemployment 
Sex, age group,  region 

Sex, age group 

Sex, age group, region, employment status 

Sex, age group, region, marital status, nationality, residence 
permit 

Sex, age group,  region, number of households at regional level 
and number of households by size 

Sex, age group, region, urban/rural 

BE 

BG 

CZ 

DK 

DE 

EE 

IE 

EL 

ES 

FR 

HR 

IT 

CY 

LV 

LT 

LU 

HU 

MT 

NL 

AT 

PL 

PT 

RO 

SI 

SK 

FI 

SE 

UK 

IS 

NO 

CH 

MK 

TR 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014 

71

 
 
  
Table 4: Information (website) on the LFS by country 2014  

Link to national websites  

BE 

BG 

CZ 

DK 

DE 

EE 

IE 

EL 

ES 

FR 

HR 

IT 

CY 

LV 

LT 

LU 

HU 

MT 

NL 

AT 

PL 

PT 

RO 

SI 

SK 

FI 

SE 

UK 

IS 

NO 

CH 

MK 

TR 

Note: If you click on the country code you will be redirected to the specific national websites.  
The incorporated links lead generally to the English website.  
It is possible that countries publish information on different positions.  
The links can serve as a first reference to find country information. 

 72 

Labour Force Survey in the EU, Candidate and EFTA countries, 2014  

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
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