Аbout census

After the census is completed, the enumerator might visit you again, within the post-census survey conducted by SORS in order to control the quality of the census. Included is a small sample of enumerated households so as to check the correctness of the number of enumerated persons, households and dwellings, as well as the quality of answers to individual questions. Based on the collected data, the reliability of the Census results will be assessed.

When, during the census period, your household is visited by an authorized enumerator of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, the data are collected:

• By interview method;
• As of September 30^th, 2022 at 24 hours (“critical moment of the census”);
• From each adult individually, and if this is not possible, from the household member who is best acquainted with the data;
• For children under the age of 15 from a parent, adoptive parent, guardian or custodian.
• If the enumerator does not find a person covered by the Census in the apartment at the time of the Census, a written notice is left to inform the person about the repeated visit.

In the period from October 1^st to 31st, 2022, your household will be visited by an authorized enumerator of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS).

How to recognize the enumerator?

• The enumerator carries the ID that he is obliged to show before he enters your household.
• On the front of the ID card is the logo of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, the name and surname of the enumerator, the photograph and ID number.
• On the back of the ID is the authorization to work.

The Census includes:

• citizens of the Republic of Serbia with permanent or temporary residence in the Republic of Serbia, regardless of whether they are present in their place of residence or temporarily residing in another place in the Republic of Serbia or abroad at the time of the Census;
• permanently resident foreigners, those who have been granted temporary residence in the Republic of Serbia and other persons residing in the territory of the Republic of Serbia at the time of the Census;
• households;
• dwellings and other occupied/ inhabited premises

The census is conducted on the basis of the Law on Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2022

The 2021 Census Law regulates the preparation, organization and implementation of the Census, the census period, the manner of data collection, the units covered by the Census, the content of the Census, the obligations of state and other bodies and organizations in preparation, organization and implementation of the Census, financing of the Census, obligations of the persons performing activities related to the Census, duties of persons covered by the Census, data processing, publication of census results, use, protection and storage of data collected in the Census.

The Census was originally planned for April 2021, but due to the unfavorable and uncertain epidemiological situation caused by the COVID 19 pandemic,it was postponed to the period October1-31,2022.

   Law on Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2021 ("Official Gazette of RS" No. 9/2020).

  Law on Amendments to the Law on Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2022 ("Official Gazette of RS" No. 35/2021)..

The pilot census of population, households and dwellings in 2019 was conducted in the period from 1^st to 30^th of April 2019, on a sample of 260 census districts in 51 municipalities / cities.

The main goal of 2019 Census was to test in a timely manner all methodological, organizational and IT solutions for the implementation of 2022 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings.

Two data collection methods were tested:

• Self- enumeration- Computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI)
• Field data collection using laptops

     Settlements in which, on a part of the territory, 2019 Pilot Census was conducted.
     Letter sent to citizens living in the territory selected for self-enumeration testing
     Individual Questionnaire
     Questionnaire for household and dwelling 

According to the Law on the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings:

• Data collected in the Census are used exclusively for statistical purposes and the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia cannot provide them to other physical and legal entities;
• The Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia is obliged to take all prescribed administrative, technical and organizational measures necessary to protect the data collected in the Census from illegal access, publication or use, in accordance with the law governing the field of information security;
• According to Article 33 of the Law on the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021, a fine of 30,000 to 50,000 dinars will be imposed on the enumerator, instructor and other person in charge of performing activities related to the Census if:
  • the tasks of the Census are not performed timely and in the prescribed manner;
  • the accuracy of data entry given by data providers is not taken into account, i.e. the accurate processing of data collected by the Census;
  • all data on the enumerated persons that one comes across during the performance of the entrusted tasks are not kept as a secret;
  • against the will of the person covered by the Census, it is requested from the person declare his / her national affiliation or religion.

The Census of population, households and dwellings in the Republic of Serbia begins on October 1st, 2022 at 8:00 AM and lasts until Ocober31st, 2022 at 8:00 PM.

Data are, directly from the citizens, collected by enumerators, going "door – to - door", and entering respondents' answers into electronic questionnaires, using laptops.

Questionnaires in Serbian - Cyrillic

-П1 -П2

Questionnaires in Serbian - Latin

-П1 -П2

Questionnaires in the languages of national minorities

Albanian	-П1	-П2		German	-П1	-П2
Bosnian	-П1	-П2		Polish	-П1	-П2
Bulgarian	-П1	-П2		Roma	-П1	-П2
Bunevacki	-П1	-П2		Romanian	-П1	-П2
Czech	-П1	-П2		Russian	-П1	-П2
Montenegrin	-П1	-П2		Ruthenian	-П1	-П2
Greek	-П1	-П2		Slovakian	-П1	-П2
Croatian	-П1	-П2		Slovenian	-П1	-П2
Hungarian	-П1	-П2		Ukrainian	-П1	-П2
Macedonian	-П1	-П2		Vlach	-П1	-П2

Questionnaires in English language

-П1 -П2

• Multilingual collection
• Methodological guide
• Instructions for organizing and conducting the census
• A Guide for enumerators
• Guidelines for enumerating specific categories of the population

• 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 30^th, 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.

• 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 20^th, 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 1^st to 31^st, 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 20^th, 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 1^st to 31^st, 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 1^st to 31^st, 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.