1. International migration: practices of 2000 Round and issues for 2010
UNFPA-UNECE-NIDI Training Programme on International Migration January 2005
International migration: practices of 2000 Round and issues for 2010
Enrico Bisogno
UN Economic Commission for Europe
Statistical Division
UNECE Statistical Division

2. UNECE Statistical Division
Overview
Stocks
Criteria to identify the stock of immigrants
Treatment of special groups
Flows
Which question(s) best capture migrations?
Reason for migration
UNECE Statistical Division

3. Stock of immigrants: the definition
No clear definition of this group in the 2000 Recommendations
Focus on two related variables (core-topics)
Place/country of birth (44 countries)
Citizenship (42 countries)
UNECE Statistical Division

4. Place of birth: the definition
Mother’s residence at the time of birth
(2000 Recommendations)
Some complications:
25 countries used the actual place of birth
Higher non-response rates
In Switzerland: 28% among CH born abroad
UNECE Statistical Division

5. having a long-term view on their integration
Why data on stocks?
Monitor size and composition of population with foreign origin
having a long-term view on their integration
UNECE Statistical Division

6. A proposal: population with foreign background
UNECE Statistical Division

7. Which questions to include?
Place of births of parents or
Citizenship at birth
(both included in 2000 Recommendations as non-core topics)
UNECE Statistical Division

8. Immigrants from Central Europe in France (1999)
Foreigners
Foreign-born
Persons with foreign
backround
UNECE Statistical Division

9. Special population groups
Temporary foreign workers with legal status
Resident foreigners without legal status
Asylum seekers
Refugees
Temporarily absent persons
UNECE Statistical Division

10. Special groups and population counts
UNECE Statistical Division

11. UNECE Statistical Division
Refugees
2000 Rec: include in resident population
28 countries considered them as residents
Definitional problems: 3 types of refugees
1951 Geneva Convention
Humanitarian refugees
Mass displacement
UNECE Statistical Division

12. Foreigners without legal status
2000 Recomm: no specific provision
Sensitive issue
Very diverse approaches across countries
For 2010: is a common position possible?
De facto or legal approach?
UNECE Statistical Division

13. Two different approaches
Flows
Two different approaches
Where were you resident x years ago? (31 countries in 2000 Round)
When did you come to live here? (29 countries in 2000 Round)
UNECE Statistical Division

14. Why census data on flows?
Internal migration
Information on origin and destination
International migration
No monitoring purposes
Migration date  duration of residence
UNECE Statistical Division

15. UNECE Statistical Division
Type A questions
Pros
Simple
Origin-destination details
Cons
No information on when the migration occurred
UNECE Statistical Division

16. UNECE Statistical Division
Type B questions
Pros
Very precise on timing
Cons
No information on origin
UNECE Statistical Division

17. Implications for 2010 Round
Type A better fit for internal migration
Type B better fit for international migration
The two approaches can be combined:
When did you come to live in this municipality from where?
When did you come to live in this country and from where?
UNECE Statistical Division

18. UNECE Statistical Division
Reason for migration
Not mentioned in 2000 Recommendations
11 countries included this topic
Demand from users (labour migration)
UNECE Statistical Division

19. Issues for 2010 Recommendations
General question, generic answer
More specific question:
Official reason, if any
Distinguish between causes and goals
Reason for selecting the country
UNECE Statistical Division

20. UNECE Statistical Division
Some questions
What questions do you think will be included in the next census in your country?
How do you think special population subgroups will be treated?
Is it possible to ‘link’ the census with other sources?
UNECE Statistical Division