Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

Poland

1. Name and address of the organization responsible for the census:

Central Statistical Office of Poland, AL. Niepodleg o ci 208, 00-925 Warsaw.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1946, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1978 and 1988 (the 1946 population census was a summary one, not general). The present description relates to the population census planned to be conducted the 21 May 2001.

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole country.

(b) Persons covered

All persons of all ages.

4. Reference period:

One week (14 to 20 May 2001).

5. Main topics:

(a) Total population, by sex and age: yes

Economically active population by:

(b) Sex and age group: yes

(c) Industry: yes

(d) Occupation: yes

(e) Status in employment: yes

(f) Educational level: yes

(g) Hours of work: no

(h) Other characteristics: yes

Re. (a) The age is defined in terms of year of birth.

Re. (h) The census will also collect information on the duration of unemployment.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population

It will comprise all persons aged 15 years and over who, during the reference period, will have been either employed or unemployed according to the definition given below. All members of the armed forces will be included in the definition.

(b) Employment

Employment will be determined on the basis of the question: Did you do any work for pay, profit or family gain (including unpaid family work) during the week from 14 to 20 May 2001? 1) yes, 2) I did not work temporarily because of illness, vacation, break in the establishment's activity, strike, etc. but I had a work (excluding unpaid family work), 3) No. Seasonal workers not at work during the off-season and persons temporarily laid-off (with formal job attachment) will be excluded from the definition.

It is reported that the following categories will be included:

  1. persons doing unpaid work in a family firm or business;
  2. persons engaged in the production of goods for own consumption;
  3. employed persons, temporarily absent from work;
  4. working students with a part-time job;
  5. regular members of the armed forces;
  6. conscripts on military/civilian service;
  7. apprentices and trainees.
It will be possible to identify separately persons belonging to categories (i), (iii), (v) and (vi), as well as the multiple job holders.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed will be all persons who, during the reference week, will have been without work, looking for a job and available to start a new job within 2 weeks. Based on the questions: Are you looking for work? 1) Yes, 2) No, I have found a job and I am waiting to start it and, for persons who replied yes to this first question, Providing that you had found a job, could you have started to work during the week from 14 to 20 May or the following week?. Students seeking work and future starts will be included in the unemployed, while persons temporarily laid-off (without formal job attachment) and discouraged workers will be excluded from the definition.

7. Classifications used:

Only employed persons will be classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment, while all persons will be classified by educational level.

(a) Industry

Based on the question: What is the economic activity of the establishment (firm) which is your main work place ? (give its name). For coding economic activity, 17 main groups of the Polish Classification of Activity (PKD, national version of NACE Rev.1) will be used. Links to ISIC-Rev.3 will be established at the tabulation category (1-digit) level.

(b) Occupation

Based on the question: What is your occupation? (give the name of the occupation or describe the main activities connected with the work). For coding occupation, 380 main groups of the Polish classification will be used. Links to ISCO-88 will be established at the minor group (3-digit) level.

(c) Status in employment

For coding this variable, 8 groups will be used: Full-time employee; Part-time employee; Employer; Own-account worker; Agent; Member of producers' cooperative; Unpaid family worker; and Clergyman.

(d) Level of education

For coding this variable, 12 groups of the national classification will be used. Links to ISCED-1997 will be established.

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

In 1988, such economic category as unemployed did not appeared, and employment was determined on the basis of a permanent activity, closely connected with the source of income. In 2001, the economic activity will be determined on the basis of the actual activity during the reference week. The new educational level classification ISCED-1997 will be used.

9. Publication of the census results:

The title of the publication containing the final results will be: Economic Activity of the Polish Population on the basis of the 2001 Housing and Population Census, to be issued in June 2002.

The organization responsible for this publication is the Central Statistical Office of Poland, AL. Niepodleg o ci 208, 00-925 Warsaw. The web site address is: www.stat.gov.pl

The census results will also be available on diskettes, CD and through the web.