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Use of Border Data Collection to Measure International Migration Flows in Sri Lanka

Use of Border Data Collection to Measure International Migration Flows in Sri Lanka. H.R.Gunasekera Director Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka. Border Data Collection. Border control is the major responsibility of the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE).

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Use of Border Data Collection to Measure International Migration Flows in Sri Lanka

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  1. Use of Border Data Collection to Measure International Migration Flows in Sri Lanka H.R.Gunasekera Director Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka

  2. Border Data Collection • Border control is the major responsibility of the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE). • DIE controls and regulates the entry and departure of Sri Lankans and foreigners. • Border control system is fully computerized. • Every passport is scanned at the point of arrival/ departure and convert the information into the data base.

  3. Border Data Collection contd., • Items converted to data base. • Flight number • Passport number • Name • Nationality • Sex • Completeness and accuracy is extremely high.

  4. Tabulations Available • Only the following tabulations can be produced. • Arrivals by nationality and sex • Departures by nationality and sex • Tabulations are transmitted to Department of Census and Statistics (DCS). • Published in Annual Statistical Abstract and website of DCS www.statistics.gov.lk

  5. Limitations of Border Statistics • Confined only to arrivals, departures by nationality and sex. • International migrants are not identified among the travellers. • Valuable information is collected in embarkation/ disembarkation cards. • Can be made to improve border statistics.

  6. Embarkation/Disembarkation Cards • Every foreigner or a citizen who enter into or exit from Sri Lanka needs to complete embarkation or disembarkation card. • Embarkation/Disembarkation cards contain • Flight number • Name • Sex • Nationality • Date of birth • Place of birth • Profession • Passport number, date of issue and place of issue • Visa number, date and place (disembarkation only) • Address in Sri Lanka • Address abroad (home address)

  7. Embarkation/Disembarkation Cards contd., • Purpose of visit • Holiday/Pleasure • Media coverage • Employment • Seminar/Conference/Exhibition • Education • In Transit • Visit Friends/Relatives • Official/Business • Religion/Cultural • Return to Sri Lanka (disembarkation only) • Other (specify)…. • Port of final destination (port of final embarkation) • This document is not computerized yet.

  8. Improving Border Statistics • Identification of international migrants in conformity with UN definitions. • Purpose of visit is very valuable to identify the outflows by education, employment etc. ; useful for policy planning • Need to computerize the cards (scan). • check for completeness • additional supervision • time constraints • Need to record district of residence for Sir Lankans in cards to identify net migration by districts; absence is a drawback in estimating the annual mid year population.

  9. Suggested Additional Tabulations • Arrivals by nationality, purpose of travel and sex. • Departures of Sri Lankans by country, purpose of travel and sex. • Arrivals of Sri Lankans by district of residence and sex. • Departure of Sri Lankans by district of residence and sex.

  10. Complementary Source: Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). • Functions • regulation, promotion of foreign employment • protection, welfare of Sri Lankan employed abroad. • Every Sri Lankan leaving for employment abroad should register with SLBFE. • Maintain a data base • Departure • Private remittances • Complaints received on labour contracts • Welfare measures taken for their children • Insurance compensation payments • Job vacancies

  11. Complementary Source: Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) contd. • Outflows available • Published in Annual Statistical Handbook on Foreign Employment and web www.slbfe.lk • Limitations • all are not registered. • departures reflect the number registered and not actual values. • Improvements • match PPNo. of those registered in SLBFE with PPNo. of departures collected by DIE. • matching is error prone; hence need rigid controls, scan passports at SLBFE.

  12. Complementary Source: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) • Collects data on repatriation, Sri Lanka refugees abroad and refugees and asylum seekers in Sri Lanka. • Every refugee seeking asylum in Sri Lanka needs to be registered; hence such data are complete and accurate. • Available information • Data published in UNHCR’s web-site www.unhcr.lk on monthly basis (latest May 2006). • Improvements • Provide totals only; need at least age, sex breakdowns. • Sri Lankan refugees by country should be published. • Computation of recognition rates.

  13. THANK YOU !

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