Labour Force Survey 2010
Sri Lanka, 2010
Identification
LKA_2010_LFS_v01_M
Labour Force Survey 2010
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | LKA |
Labor Force Survey [hh/lfs]
Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey (LFS) was designed to measure the levels and trends of employment, unemployment and labour force in Sri Lanka. Since 1990, the survey is being conducted quarterly. 2010 is the twenty first successive year in which the survey has been repeated. Amongst other figures, Provincial level estimates are taken from the Annual LFS 2010 data file which is a combination of all the four quarterly files processed for the year 2010.
The employment/unemployment data are required at very short intervals to monitor the program made in the employment generating policies of the government. To satisfy this need, Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey was designed as a quarterly basis survey to measure the levels and trends of employment, unemployment and labour force in Sri Lanka. Thus the survey is repeated four times each year since the first quarter of 1990.
Key objectives of the survey:
- To study the economically active / inactive population;
- To analyze employment by major industry group and employment status;
- To determine unemployment rates by level of education and by age group;
- To study the informal sector employment;
- To determine the underemployment rates by sector and by major industries
Sample survey data [ssd]
Individuals from the population aged 10 years or more
Version
Version 1.0: Full edited dataset, original version for internal DPD use.
Scope
The scope of LFS 2010 includes the following key sections:
- Identification Information
- Control Data
- Personal Information
- Information on Labour Force Identification and Personal Information are as follows:- Identification Information - Address, Province, District, D.S. Division, G. N. Division, Sector, Name of MC/UC/PS - Name of Ward/Village/Estate, Census Block Number, Sample Reference Number - Survey Quarter, Number of households, Name of the Head of the household - Identifications of Interviewers & Supervising Officers Personal Information - Relationship to Head of Household, Gender, Age, Ethnic Group, Religion, Marital Status - Educational Attainment, Attendance at Schooling or other Educational Institution - Professional / Technical Training, Persons who are working abroad.
| Topic | Vocabulary | URI |
|---|---|---|
| LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT [3] | CESSDA | http://www.nesstar.org/rdf/common |
Coverage
National coverage. [Excluding the Northern and the Eastern Provinces]
This survey covered persons living in housing units only and, it excludes the institutional population. Working age population (10 years and above) living in the non-institutional households in Sri Lanka.
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Department of Census and Statistics | Ministry of Finance and Planning |
Sampling
Sampling plan and the sampling frame
A two stage stratified sampling procedure was adopted to select a sample of 22,500 housing units to be enumerated in the survey. The master sampling frame prepared for 2001 Census of Population and Housing was used as the sampling frame for the selection of sample for the labour force survey 2010.This main frame was updated after the Tsunami incident in 2007 using quick count method.
Sample size
The quarterly survey was conducted since 1990 using a sample of 2,000 housing units per quarter in areas other than North and East, and the sample size was increased to 4,000 housing units per quarter in 1996 and continued thereafter. However, in 1992 and 1997, an annual sample of 20,000 housing units was selected to give reliable estimates of district level. In 2004 again 20,000 housing units were selected for the survey. However, in order to provide district level estimates precisely, it was decided to use 20,000 - 25,000 housing units as the annual sample from 2006. As such, in 2010, the annual sample of 22,500 housing units were selected.
Sample Allocation
In 2010, 2,250 Primary Sampling Units (PSU's) are allocated to each district and each sector by using the Neymann Allocation method which considers the variance of unemployment rate as usually. The allocated sample for each district then equally distributed among the 12 months. Table 2.1, Chapter 2 of the Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2010 gives the sample distributions by district for year 2010.
Selection of Primary Sampling Units (PSU)
Primary sampling units are the census blocks prepared for the Census of Population and Housing - 2001. The sample frame, which was updated after Tsunami, has been used for the selection of primary sampling units.
Selection of Secondary Sampling Units (SSU)
Secondary Sampling Units are the housing units in the selected 2,250 primary sampling units (census blocks). From each primary sampling unit 10 housing units (SSU) are selected for the survey using random sampling method.
The field work of the survey for the year 2010 was done throughout the twelve months of the year. However, in 2010, even though it was planned to conduct the labour force survey in Northern Province, it was a failure due to the prevailing conditions. So the national level estimates based on the data collected in year 2010 do not cover the Northern Province.
Details on the calculation of weights adjusted for unit non-response are discussed in Section 2.7, Chapter 2 of the Labour Force Survey 2010 Final Report.
Survey instrument
Current survey concepts and methods are very similar to those introduced at the beginning. However, some changes have been made over the years to improve the accuracy and usefulness of the data.
In 2006, some significant improvements were made to LFS schedule to fulfill the requirements of data users and also to provide additional information for planning purposes. This was done after carefully reviewing the LFS schedule with technical assistance provided by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Adviser. That was revised focusing on literacy, household economic activities, informal sector employment and underemployment etc. This revised version of the questionnaire has been using since first quarter, 2006.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2010-01-01 | 2010-12-31 |
| Start date | End date |
|---|---|
| 2010-01-01 | 2010-12-31 |
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Department of Census and Statistics | Ministry of Finance and Planning |
Regular field supervisions were carried out throughout the year to check the concepts and definitions are being used by the enumerator accurately. Field visits to the districts are conducted by senior officers of the DCS. These supervising officers were expected to submit their reports to the head of the relevant divisions based on their observations.
The field work of the survey for the year 2010 was done in all 12 months from January to December 2010. Listing operation was also staggered over a period of 12 months starting from November 2009 to October 2010. For each primary sampling unit, updating was done, about two months prior to the scheduled interviewing. As such, for example, the census blocks which were surveyed in April, were updated in February.
Statistical officers of the DCS were involved in the listing operation prior to the survey and also in the survey data collection operation. Each statistical officer is responsible to carry out all statistical activities in a Divisional Secretariat to which she/he is attached. These officers were given training before they were entrusted with the survey operations. A Deputy Director/Senior Statistician/Statistician is attached to each District Secretariat as the in charge of statistical activities in that district.
Data appraisal
Standard errors and coefficients of variation were calculated for selected labour force variables. These variables include general labour force characteristics, employment by major industry groups, and unemployment by level of education.
Details on these sampling error statistics can be found in the Explanatory Notes under the Special Statistical Appendix of the Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2010.
Data Access
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director General | Department of Census and Statistics | http://www.statistics.gov.lk/ | dgcensus@statistics.gov.lk |
| Is signing of a confidentiality declaration required? | Confidentiality declaration text |
|---|---|
| yes | Under the Statistical Ordinance, micro data cannot be released with identifications for public use. Procedures are in place to ensure that information relating to any particular individual person, household or undertaking will be kept strictly confidential and will not be divulged to external parties. Information on individual or individual household/establishment will not be divulged or published in such a form that will facilitate the identification of any particular person or establishment as the data have been collected under the Census/Statistical Ordinance, according to which the information at individual level cannot be divulged and such information is strictly confidential. |
The dataset has been anonymized and is available as a Public Use Dataset. It is accessible to all for statistical and research purposes only, under the following terms and conditions:
- The data and other materials will not be redistributed or sold to other individuals, institutions, or organizations without the written agreement.
- The data will be used for statistical and scientific research purposes only. They will be used solely for reporting of aggregated information, and not for investigation of specific individuals or organizations.
- No attempt will be made to re-identify respondents, and no use will be made of the identity of any person or establishment discovered inadvertently.
- No attempt will be made to produce links among datasets provided by the Department or among data from the Department and other datasets that could identify individuals or organizations.
- Any books, articles, conference papers, theses, dissertations, reports, or other publications that employ data obtained from the Department will cite the source of data in accordance with the Citation Requirement provided with each dataset.
- An electronic copy of all reports and publications based on the requested data will be sent to the Department.
The following rules apply to micro data released by the Department of Census and Statistics:
• Only the requests of Government Institutions, Recognized Universities, Students, and selected international agencies are entertained. However, the Data users are required to strictly adhere to the terms stipulated in the agreement form.
• All the data requests should be made to Director General (DG) of the DCS as the sole authority of releasing data is vested with the DG, DCS. DCS of Sri Lanka reserves sole right to approve or reject any data request made depending on the confidential nature of the data set and intended purpose of the study or analysis.
• Requests for micro data should be made through the agreement form designed by DCS for this purpose (Form D.R.1). The agreement form should be filled in triplicate and the Study/project proposal should accompany the filled agreement form. If requests are made for the micro data of more than one survey, a separate agreement should be signed.
• If the data request is from a student a letter from the respective Department Head/Dean/Supervisor, recommending the issue of data, should also be accompanied.
• If the request is approved only 25% of the data file is released at the first stage. The release of the total data file is considered only after reviewing the draft report prepared on the basis of the 25% sample data file.
Use of the dataset must be acknowledged using a citation which would include:
- the Identification of the Primary Investigator
- the title of the survey (including country, acronym and year of implementation)
- the survey reference number
- the source and date of download
Example:
Department of Census and Statistics (DCS), Sri Lanka. Labour Force Survey 2010. Ref. LKA_2010_LFS_v01_M. Dataset downloaded from http://statistics.sltidc.lk/index.php/catalog on [date].
Disclaimer and copyrights
The Department of Census and Satatistics bears no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the secondary use of the data.
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Unit | Department of Census and Statistics | information@statistics.gov.lk | http//:www.statistics.gov.lk |
| Sample Survey Division | Department of Census and Statistics | sample.survey@statistics.gov.lk | http//:www.statistics.gov.lk |
Metadata production
DDI_LKA_2010_LFS_v01_M
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Census and Statistics | Ministry of Finance & Planning | Documentation of the study |
| Accelerated Data Program | International Household Survey Network | Editing for IHSN Survey Catalog |
Metadata version
Version 1.0 - Department of Census and Statistics - Original documentation of the study.
Version 2.0 - Edited version by ADP based on Version 1.0 of DCS downloaded from http://statistics.sltidc.lk/index.php/catalog on 29 May 2013.