China
Title of the survey:
Urban Labour Force Sampling Survey
Organization responsible for the survey:
Planning and conduct of the survey:
Department of Population, Social, Science and Technology Statistics.
Analysis and publication of the results:
Department of Population, Social, Science and Technology Statistics.
Topics covered:
Employment, unemployment, hours of work, nature of residence card, duration of unemployment, status in employment and educational level.
Coverage of the survey:
Geographical:
Urban areas of the country.
Population groups:
All persons 16 years and over, excluding armed forces and foreigners.
Availability of estimates from other sources for the excluded areas/groups:
Only available for armed forces.
Groups covered by the survey but excluded from the published results:
The unemployed.
Periodicity:
Conduct of the survey:
Three times per year.
Publication of results:
Annually, for certain variables.
Reference periods:
Employment:
One week.
Seeking work:
Three months prior to the date of the interview.
Availability for work:
Two weeks following the date of the interview.
Concepts and definitions:
Employment:
All persons living in urban areas above a specified age and receiving income from engagement in economic activities, i.e.: (1) those aged 16 years and above who worked for at least one hour during the reference week for income and (2) with a working unit or working site but not at work temporarily during the reference week because of holiday, vacation, study or suchlike.
It includes:
- persons with a job but temporarily absent due to illness or injury, vacation or annual leave, maternity or paternity leave, parental leave, educational or training leave, bad weather, etc.;
- persons without work, currently available for work who had made arrangements to start a new job on a date subsequent to the reference period;
- persons who performed some work for pay or profit during the reference week but were retired and receiving a pension, were registered as jobseekers at an employment office or receiving unemployment benefits;
- unpaid family workers at work during the reference week; and
- all members of the armed forces.
Unemployment:
All persons living in urban areas above a specified age, currently available for work, but without work during the reference week, and seeking a job by specific steps, i.e. aged 16 and above: (1) without work for income during the reference week and not belonging to the second group of the definition of employment, (2) seeking a job by specific steps within 3 months before the reference week and (3) available for work within two weeks. It includes: persons without work and currently available for work who were trying to establish their own enterprise; persons who were seeking and/or available for work but were retired and receiving a pension.
Underemployment:
Time-related underemployment:
Not applicable.
Inadequate employment situations:
Not applicable.
Hours of work:
Actual hours worked in all jobs; the time unit is the hour.
Employment-related income:
Income from paid employment:
Not applicable.
Income from self-employment:
Not applicable.
Informal sector:
Not applicable.
Usual activity:
Not applicable.
Classifications:
Branch of economic activity (industry):
Title of the classification:
No information.
Population groups classified by industry:
No information.
Number of groups used for coding:
No information.
Links to ISIC:
No information.
Occupation:
Title of the classification:
No information.
Population groups classified by occupation:
No information.
Number of groups used for coding:
No information.
Links to ISCO:
No information.
Status in employment:
Title of the classification:
No information.
Population groups classified by status in employment:
No information.
Groups used for classification:
Seven groups: 1. Employment in urban units, 2. Employment in township enterprises, 3. Employment in agriculture, fishing, forestry and hunting, 4. Employees in private individual units, 5. Employers in private individual units, 6. Selfemployed, 7. Other.
Links to ICSE:
No.
Education:
Title of the classification:
No information.
Population groups classified by education:
No information.
Groups used for classification:
Five groups: 1. Illiterate and semiilliterate, 2. Primary school, 3. Junior middle school, 4. Senior middle school, 5. College and higher level.
Links to ISCED:
No.
Sample size and design:
Ultimate sampling unit:
Cluster of about 50 to 100 households.
Sample size (ultimate sampling units):
(1.2 million households in the whole country) around 0.34 million in the urban areas.
Overall sampling fraction:
1 per cent; the sample design is combined with the annual Population Survey covering the whole country.
Sample frame:
The frame is based on the latest Census data and the Register of the Public Security Ministry. For ultimate sampling units, the sample frame is made by the enumerators.
Updating of the sample:
Usually each year; the ultimate sampling units are changed every year in each province.
Rotation:
Scheme:
No rotation scheme.
Percentage of units remaining in the sample for two consecutive survey rounds:
Not available.
Maximum number of interviews per sample unit:
Not available.
Length of time for complete renewal of the sample:
Not available.
Field work:
Type of interview:
Personal interview using paper and pencil.
Number of ultimate sampling units per sample area:
About 1,400.
Duration of field work:
Total:
Twenty days
Per sample area:
Not available.
Survey organization:
In each province there exists a permanent survey organization. For each survey round, personnel are also recruited.
Number of field staff:
Approximately 1,500 field staff.
Substitution of non-responding ultimate sampling units:
Yes.
Estimation and adjustments:
Total non-response rate:
About 5 per cent.
Adjustment for total non-response:
Yes.
Imputation for item non-response:
No.
Adjustment for areas/population not covered:
Yes.
Adjustment for undercoverage:
Yes.
Adjustment for overcoverage:
Yes.
Adjustment for seasonal variations:
No.
History of the survey:
Title and date of the first survey:
Urban Labour Force Survey System, October 1, 1996.
Significant changes or revisions:
None.
Documentation and dissemination:
Documentation:
Survey results:
China Statistical Yearbook.
Survey methodology:
China Statistical Yearbook.
Dissemination:
Time needed for initial release of survey results:
Not yet available.
Advance information of public about date of initial release:
Yes.
Availability of unpublished data upon request:
Not up to now.
Availability of data in machine-readable form:
Tabulations can be made available on diskette.
Website:
http://www.stats.gov.cn/.