Frequently asked questions
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- Why is the Census important?
The Census of population, households and dwellings is the most important source of individual data on the population and housing stock of a country and, therefore, presents the backbone of national statistics. The census provides complete, high-quality and internationally comparable statistics every ten years, which are vital for socio-economic analysis and planning at the national and local levels.
- Am I required to participate in the Census?
According to the Law on Census of Population, Households and Dwellings, citizens of the Republic of Serbia residing in the Republic of Serbia, as well as permanently residing foreigners in the Republic of Serbia, are obliged to participate in the Census and give accurate and complete answers to all questions. Any refusal, as well as providing incomplete and inaccurate information, entails misdemeanour liability and a fine.
- What data is collected in the Census?
The Census collects the following data on persons: name, surname, sex, age, place of residence, data on migratory, ethno cultural, educational and economic characteristics, marital status and fertility, mode of travel to work / school and functional and social integration.
Data on households: total number of household members, kinship and family composition, basis on which the household uses the apartment in which it is enumerated and whether the household members are engaged in their own agricultural production.
Data on dwellings: address, type of living space, use of the dwelling, form of ownership, area of the apartment, number of rooms, equipment of installations and auxiliary rooms, type of energy used for heating, floor where the dwelling is located, as well as data on basic building characteristics in which the dwelling is located.
- What if no one is at home when the enumerator arrives?
If the enumerator does not find anyone at home, he will come again at another time, and if there is no one at home even then, he will leave a written notice of his arrival and information that citizens can get in touch with the operator by contacting the free number of info-centres so to get in touch with the enumerator and agree on the date of enumeration.
- Am I obliged to prepare some personal documents before the enumerator arrives and to present them to the enumerator?
You are not obliged to provide personal documents to the enumerator, because the data in the census is collected on the basis of a statement, but in order to speed up the enumeration process, you can prepare one of the documents with ID number (if you do not know this information by heart), in order to dictate the ID number to the enumerator.
- When will the results of the Census be published?
The first preliminary results of the Census on the number of population, households and dwellings, by municipalities and cities, are published within 30 days from the end of the census, i.e. by the end of November 2022 at the latest.
The final results of the census will be published successively, starting from March / April 2023 until June 30th, 2024, in accordance with the Publication Calendar that will be timely published on SORS website.
- How do other countries conduct the Census, and how do we do it?
Majority of the countries in the world conduct the census in the traditional way - by directly collecting data from citizens. However, the method of data collection often differs. In some countries, enumerators fill in the paper questionnaires or enter respondents' answers using laptops or tablets, while in some countries, citizens enumerate themselves online. Some countries combine different methods, so that they usually organize self-enumeration in the first phase of the census, and then field data collection.
Certain countries are moving from the traditional census to the combined one, by collecting a part of the data in the field, and overtaking the other part from the administrative sources (registers).
Particular number of countries conduct the census entirely on a register basis.
In the census cycle around 2020, the EU member states conduct the census as follows: 10 countries conduct the register – based census, 11 countries conduct the combined census and 6 countries conduct the traditional census.
2022 Census in Serbia is conducted using the traditional method - data are collected directly from the citizens by enumerators, going "door to door", and, for the first time in our census practice, respondents enter their answers into electronic questionnaires using laptops.
No. According to the Census Law 2022, the collected census data are used exclusively for statistical purposes, so they cannot be transferred to other physical or legal persons.
- Can I exercise any rights based on the data entered in the census questionnaires?
No. According to the Census Law 2022, the collected data cannot be used for the purpose of determining the obligations of citizens, nor can be used as evidence for exercising the rights of citizens.
- If any of the household members is studying / working in another city, how will he/ she be enumerated?
All persons who are temporarily absent from their household, whether they are absent due to work, schooling or for some other reason, will be enumerated in their household, and such data will be provided by the present members of the household.
At the same time, these persons will be enumerated as the so-called temporarily present persons and in the place where they currently are, but in the results of the census, they will be expressed as residents of the place where their household lives, from which they are only temporarily absent.
- One member of my household is studying / temporarily working abroad, is he also enumerated?
Yes. The census also collects data on household members who are abroad at the time of the census (they are studying, working or staying abroad for other reasons). Data on absent household members can be provided by their family members in the Republic of Serbia.
- How will the students who are in students’ centres/ dormitories at the time of census be enumerated?
Students and pupils who are accommodated in students’ centres and pupils’ hostels will be enumerated twice: as temporarily present persons in the place where they are temporarily staying due to schooling, and in the place where their family lives.
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- How many people will be engaged to work in 2022 Census?
2022 Census will employ about 250 municipal coordinators, 2 200 instructors and 15 000 enumerators. All information related to the application of candidates for the job of instructor / enumerator will be published on SORS websites (www.stat.gov.rs) and (popis2022.stat.gov.rs).
INSTRUCTORS
- Who can apply to work as an instructor in 2022 Census?
Citizens of the Republic of Serbia who have a permanent or registered residence in the Republic of Serbia, are mature/ of adult age, who have completed at least four years of secondary education and have not been investigated or indicted, can apply for instructors in 2022 Census.
- When is the application and selection of instructors in 2022 Census?
A public call for candidates for instructors will be announced around June 20th, 2022. Candidates apply by filling in an electronic application on SORS websites (www.stat.gov.rs) and (popis2022.stat.gov.rs).
All applied candidates who, according to the criteria prescribed by SORS, are above the line, will be invited to the census commission of the municipality for which they are registered at the beginning of July. After the interview and testing, a ranking list of candidates invited to the training will be published.
- What are the obligations of the instructors in the Census?
All candidates invited to the training are required to attend a five-day training in late July or early August, depending on the schedule. At the end of the training, the candidates take a final test and a final list of selected instructors is formed based on the number of points.
Instructors, with the help of municipal coordinators, are conducting a five-day training of enumerators in early September. After the training and the final selection of enumerators, each instructor will be in charge of controlling the work of seven enumerators (on average).
Instructors are obliged to keep records on the work of enumerators, to hold meetings with them during the Census, provide them with methodological assistance and provide guidelines for their work, and then, using a specially prepared web application for monitoring, regularly monitor reports on census units’ coverage and completeness of the questionnaires by each enumerator assigned to them.
- What is the period of instructors engagement?
After completing the training of enumerators and the distribution of materials and laptops to enumerators, at the end of September, the instructors with their enumerators visit the field and get acquainted with the boundaries of the census units for which enumerators are in charge.
During the field implementation of the census from October 1st to 31st, full daily engagement of instructors is planned (including weekend work).
Detailed explanations will be contained in the public call, instructions for organizing and conducting the census, and in the tasks and procedures for instructors.
ENUMERATORS
- Who can apply to work as an enumerator in 2022 Census?
In 2022 Census, citizens of the Republic of Serbia who have a permanent or registered residence in the Republic of Serbia, are mature/ of adult age, who have completed at least three years of secondary education and have not been investigated or indicated, can apply for enumerators.
- When is the application and selection of enumerators in 2022 Census?
A public call for candidates for enumerators will be announced around July 20th, 2022. Candidates apply by filling in an electronic application on SORS websites (www.stat.gov.rs) and (popis2022.stat.gov.rs).
All applied candidates who, according to the number of points and following the criteria prescribed by SORS, are above the line, in mid-August will be invited to test their computer work in the census commission of the municipality for which they applied. The ranking list of candidates invited to the training will be published after the test.
- What are the obligations of the enumerator?
All candidates who are invited are obliged to attend a five-day training at the beginning of September, depending on the schedule. At the end of the training, the candidates take a final test and based on the number of points, a final list of selected enumerators is formed and they are distributed by allocating the territory in which they will enumerate. Each enumerator is in charge of three census units on average.
During the field implementation of the census from October 1st to 31st, enumerators are obliged to collect data on all census units for which they are in charge (data on persons, households and dwellings), going "door to door", as is in accordance with the prescribed methodology and procedures.
- What is the period of engagement of the enumerators?
Candidates who have been selected as enumerators are obliged to visit the census units for which they are in charge at the end of September, with their instructor. During the field realization of the census, from October 1st to 31st, full daily engagement of the enumerators is planned (including weekend work).
Detailed explanations will be contained in the public call, instructions for organizing and conducting the census, and in the tasks and procedures for enumerators.