Data Source

Other, please specify

Type of Study

Social sample study

Data gathering method

Face-to-face interview (CAPI, PAPI)

Conditions of access

Formal agreements (e.g. fees, research contracts, institutional agreements, etc.)

Access to ISTAT is open and free of charge.

Time elapsed between application and reception of data

Immediate. Once the desired table is chosen, the system sends it by mail immediately.

Type of available data (e.g. anonymised microdata, aggregated tables, etc.)

Aggregate tables.

Formats available

Excel, csv.

Language issues

Data is available in Italian and English.

Years of collection, reference years, and sample sizes

Sample size: 76,000 people

First year of collection

2004

Stratification if applicable

Municipalities, families. Municipalities are classified by demographic size and divided into 346 self-representatives (municipalities with demographic size higher then a given threshold) and non-self-representatives.

Base used for sampling

Municipal population office.

Geographical coverage and breakdowns

Italy

Age range

Individuals aged 15 and over

Statistical representativeness

Italian population

Coverage of main and cross-cutting topics

NA

Further Reading

NA

Standardisation

NA

Possibility of linkage among databases

NA

Entry errors if applicable

NA

Breaks

NA

Consistency of terminology or coding used during collection

NA

From the labour force survey, ISTAT derives its official estimates of the number of employed persons and job-seekers, as well as information about the main labour supply aggregates, such as occupation, economic activity area, hours worked, contract types and duration and training. Since being introduced at the beginning of the 1950s, the survey has played a primary role in the statistical documentation and analysis of the employment situation in Italy and has proven to be an indispensable instrument of knowledge for public decision-makers, the media and citizens alike. ISTAT collects the information each quarter by interviewing a sample of nearly 77,000 households, representing 175,000 individuals who are resident in Italy, even if they are temporarily abroad. Households usually living abroad and permanent members of communities (religious institutes, military barracks, etc.) are not included. The survey has been updated over the years to take into account continual transformations in the labour market, on the one hand, and the growing information requirements of users regarding the social and economic reality of our nation, on the other. The most recent change was undertaken at the beginning of 2004 in line with European Union regulations. The current sample survey is continuous insofar as information is collected during every week of the year and no longer during a single week per quarter. The results are still disseminated on a quarterly basis, except for provincial data, which are disseminated annually. A significant feature of the survey is the establishment of new criteria for identifying employed and unemployed individuals, as well as a far-reaching reorganisation of the data collection and production process. To make new estimates comparable with estimates referring to previous years, ISTAT has reconstructed the time series since the fourth quarter of 1992.