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Data Reference

SCI Survey Description

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Overall Objective

The overall objective of implementing this plan is to understand the current structure and situation of the labor force and its changes. This objective is achieved through "seasonal and annual estimation of labor force indicators", "annual estimation of numbers at the national and provincial levels", "estimation of seasonal and annual changes in labor force indicators at the national level", and "estimation of annual changes in labor force indicators at the provincial level".

Target Population

The target population comprises individuals who, by definition, are members of normal resident or group households in urban or rural areas of the country. This plan does not cover members of non-resident normal households or institutional households.

Reference Period

The reference period for measuring "employment", "unemployment in terms of lack of work" and in general "activity status of the individual", is the second and third calendar week (Saturday to Friday) of the middle month of each season, called the "reference week".

The reference period for measuring "unemployment in terms of readiness for work" is two weeks, including the reference week and one week after that.

The reference period for measuring "unemployment in terms of job search" is four weeks, including the reference week and three weeks before that.

The reference period for measuring "migration" is the past 12 months leading up to the time of data collection.

The reference period for measuring "usual hours worked per week" is the survey calendar quarter.

Data Collection Period

The data collection period in each season is the third calendar week of the middle month and the following week, i.e. the week after the reference week. That is, if the household is visited in the third calendar week of the month, the questionnaires will be completed with the second calendar week as the reference week. And if the household is visited in the fourth week of the month, the third week of the month will be considered as the reference week.

Data Collection Method

The data collection method in this plan is sampling.

Data Gathering Method

In this survey, information is collected through interviewing. In this way, the surveyor completes the household questionnaire by interviewing the most informed member of the household and the individual questionnaire by interviewing each household member aged 10 years and above.

Sampling Method

The sampling method is two-stage stratified cluster sampling, where the primary sampling unit is the cluster and the secondary sampling unit is a group consisting of three mostly adjacent households (rotation group).

In addition to estimating levels, estimating changes is also of interest in this plan. Therefore, a rotational sampling method is used. Rotational sampling, by keeping part of the sample units constant between two survey rounds and changing the rest, provides the best possibility to estimate both levels and changes. Proper implementation of rotational sampling requires the use of a master sample. The master sample refers to a sample from which subsamples for meeting the needs of several surveys or several rounds of a survey can be selected. In periodic surveys, using a master sample, in addition to economic efficiency, allows better control of operational activities and overlap of samples in different rounds.

Master Sample Frame and Design

The primary sampling frame in this plan is the fourth master sample of household surveys, which includes the primary sampling units (clusters). Each cluster includes one block/village, part of a large block/village or in some cases a set of several small blocks/villages, which is constructed based on the information from the 2016 general population and housing census to provide sample households for labor force surveys over the master sample period.

The secondary sampling frame is a list of names and addresses of normal resident and group households in the selected clusters from the master sample. The method of constructing this framework is different in urban and rural areas.

In urban areas, to construct this framework, resident households within a specified geographical area are listed in each cluster before implementing the plan. The geographical areas related to each year are identified based on information obtained from the 2016 general population and housing census in a way that includes the intended number of normal resident and group households in that year. New households introduced each year are selected based on the listing conducted in the last months of the previous year.

In rural areas, the secondary sampling frame is obtained from two sources. This framework in most rural areas includes a list of households in the relevant clusters based on listing forms from the 2016 general population and housing census. In a small number of rural clusters, this framework was obtained through listing operations in December 2017.

Rotation Pattern

Given the objectives of the plan, the selective rotation pattern for this plan is a "2-2-2 pattern", which means that during the master sample period, each sample household is surveyed a maximum of four times, so that the household is in the sample for two consecutive seasons, then is temporarily out of the sample for two consecutive seasons, then re-enters the sample for two consecutive seasons, and after that is out of the sample until the end of the years related to the master sample period. In each season, in each cluster, four rotation groups each consisting of three mostly adjacent households are surveyed:

  1. A group that has entered the sample for the first time,
  2. A group that is in the sample for the second time,
  3. A group that has re-entered the sample after two seasons of temporary departure,
  4. A group that is in the sample for the last time.

In this way, the maximum overlap between two consecutive seasons and two identical seasons from two consecutive years is 50%, and between two consecutive years is 55%, which can meet the objectives of the plan.

After constructing the rotation groups, based on the rotation pattern, four rotation groups are assigned to each survey round for all their member households to be surveyed. In this way, in each survey round, twelve households in each cluster are visited.