The present Volume 3 of Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics presents methodological descriptions of statistics of employment, unemployment, underemployment, hours of work and other indicators derived from labour force and household surveys, disseminated on the ILO’s central statistical database, ILOSTAT (http://www.ilo.org/ilostat). It is a revised and updated version of the third edition issued in 2004. This fourth edition contains descriptions for 160 countries and territories and 169 surveys.

The purpose of this volume is twofold: first, to provide basic methodological information on the different household surveys and methods used in each country in compiling such statistics; and second, to illustrate the differences between the various national statistical series with respect to the concepts and methodologies used by countries. The descriptions are presented under standard headings which allow for easy comparison of the different characteristics.