As the size of the immigrant population grows, the impact of lower response rate among this group will also have an effect on the overall response rate of general population surveys. For example, Finland’s immigrant population remains currently rather small (6,6 % of the population) and lowers the total rate with only one percentage point (see Figure 2). However, as the share of the immigrant grows, the effect will be larger and affect also the quality of estimates on the general population. Improving the response rates among the immigrant population is thus important to ensure the quality of general population social surveys, that is, the representativeness of the achieved samples as well as the accuracy of results. Figure 2: Response rate in the Finnish LFS in 2013 and scenario for growth of immigrant population. The international general populations surveys (LFS, SILC, PISA) are currently the most important data source for EU indicators of immigrant integration. LFS covers topics on labour market participation, SILC provides data on income and living conditions and PISA studies educational achievement. these surveys are considered of very high quality, in countries with a modest-sized immigrant population, statistics based on survey methodology face problems with reporting results separately for small sub-groups such as immigrants. Currently, in the Finnish LFS the monthly sample is 12 500 (150 000 / year, 2013) of which 6 % are foreign born. With a response rate of 50 % (72 % for native born) this means 388 monthly interviews and 4 650 yearly interviews. Consequently, only yearly for the most basic indicators can be produced. For example, in 2013 there were only 456 foreign born respondents. The error margin for the unemployment rate is substantial and there is thus no possibility to analyse unemployment according to age or language group. The LFS ad hoc module 2014 studies the labour market situation of migrants and their immediate While planning the module it was noted, that the collected data could not be properly and published because of the limited number of migrants in the Finnish LFS sample. In order to produce reliable estimates for the LFS ad hoc module 2014, Statistics Finland chose to commission an additional sample to boost the regular LFS sample with 6 000 immigrants. In this paper we describe this study and its sampling frame (chapter 2.1), field work practices to combat non-response (chapter 2.2) and experiences from the testing and development of the questionnaire (chapter 2.3).
As the size of the immigrant population grows, the impact of lower response rate among this group will also have an effect on the overall response rate of general population surveys. For example, Finland’s immigrant population remains currently rather small (6,6 % of the population) and lowers the total rate with only one percentage point (see Figure 2). However, as the share of the immigrant grows, the effect will be larger and affect also the quality of estimates on the general population. Improving the response rates among the immigrant population is thus important to ensure the quality of general population social surveys, that is, the representativeness of the achieved samples as well as the accuracy of results. Figure 2: Response rate in the Finnish LFS in 2013 and scenario for growth of immigrant population. The international general populations surveys (LFS, SILC, PISA) are currently the most important data source for EU indicators of immigrant integration. LFS covers topics on labour market participation, SILC provides data on income and living conditions and PISA studies educational achievement. these surveys are considered of very high quality, in countries with a modest-sized immigrant population, statistics based on survey methodology face problems with reporting results separately for small sub-groups such as immigrants. Currently, in the Finnish LFS the monthly sample is 12 500 (150 000 / year, 2013) of which 6 % are foreign born. With a response rate of 50 % (72 % for native born) this means 388 monthly interviews and 4 650 yearly interviews. Consequently, only yearly for the most basic indicators can be produced. For example, in 2013 there were only 456 foreign born respondents. The error margin for the unemployment rate is substantial and there is thus no possibility to analyse unemployment according to age or language group. The LFS ad hoc module 2014 studies the labour market situation of migrants and their immediate While planning the module it was noted, that the collected data could not be properly and published because of the limited number of migrants in the Finnish LFS sample. In order to produce reliable estimates for the LFS ad hoc module 2014, Statistics Finland chose to commission an additional sample to boost the regular LFS sample with 6 000 immigrants. In this paper we describe this study and its sampling frame (chapter 2.1), field work practices to combat non-response (chapter 2.2) and experiences from the testing and development of the questionnaire (chapter 2.3).
Q2014_final.docx