Joint UNECE/Eurostat Work Session on Migration Statistics organised in collaboration with UNFPA

1. Joint UNECE/Eurostat Work Session on Migration Statistics organised in collaboration with UNFPA Geneva, Switzerland, 3-5 March 2008 The use of time stamps for measuring short-term migrants in Austrian Migration Statistics Submitted by STATISTICS AUSTRIA Stephan Marik-Lebeck www.statistik.at

2. CONTENTS • Introduction • Definitions of Duration for Residents and migration • The impact of short- and long-term migration in Austria • The use of other sources to measure short-term migration in Austria – possibilities and limitations • Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION • Migration statistics reflect national administrative systems  inconsistency between most countries • Population and migration statistics refer to residential population ("permanent residents")  problems for adequate recording of people not registered for the complete reference period • Classification of migration through permit expiry or intended length of stay  not necessarily reflecting the actual length of stay • Depicting at least an “administrative reality” by using registrations of permanent residences

4. DEFINITIONS OF DURATION FOR RESIDENTS AND MIGRATION • Since 2002: register of residences in Austria • Population stock and migration flows derived under identical criteria from registrations and de-registrations of main residences • information from register on the residence duration used to classify population stocks (“Permanent Residents”) and migration flows • classification based on the “1998 UN Recommendations on Statistics of International Migration”: • Temporary stayers: 0 to 90 days; • Short term migration: 91 to 365 days and • Long term migration: 366 days and longer.

5. DEFINITIONS OF DURATION FOR RESIDENTS AND MIGRATION • Minimum of 90 days of continuous registration in Austria for inclusion in population and migration statistics • register would allow any time span • Austria can thus fulfill requirements of EU regulation on migration statistics  distinguish long-term migration • However, schedule for delivery of data makes estimations necessary • No consistency with national data

6. THE IMPACT OF SHORT- AND LONG-TERM MIGRATION IN AUSTRIA

7. THE IMPACT OF SHORT- AND LONG-TERM MIGRATION IN AUSTRIA • Migration impact of short-term migrations not very important • However significant migration flows • Exclusion of temporary stayers reduces size of migration flows • Yet only partial coverage in registers • Inclusion of short-term migrants offers insight in circular migration patterns • Covers seasonal workers in tourism and agriculture • No significant augmentation of migration balance • Allows quicker publication of data

8. OTHER SOURCES TO MEASURE SHORT-TERM MIGRATION – POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS • Determine short-term migrants through number of permits with limited validity • Ministry of Interior publishes monthly and annual permit statistics • Disaggregated by first-time permits • Prolongations • Changes of purpose (in most cases equal to prolongation) • However, validity of permits gives no information on actual length of stay in Austria, nor about the place of residence

9. OTHER SOURCES TO MEASURE SHORT-TERM MIGRATION – POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS • Indication for length of stay is maximum validity of permits for different purposes as defined by national law • permits do not include a PIN to link them with the registration register no automatic de-registration once permit has expired • no information on permits for EU-/EWR- and Swiss citizens • permit statistics only comparable for third-country nationals

12. CONCLUSION • The feasibility of time-limits has to be seen in view of distinct legal frameworks for recording migration in different countries • Inclusion of short-term migrants in migration statistics requires adaptations also in definitions of the population stock • Use of common statistical criteria for migration flows and population stocks • Ensure consistency of migration statistics with other demographic data, esp. on regional level • harmonisation with definitions in censuses

13. CONCLUSION • Integration of different data sources for migration statistics is hindered by different statistical designs • increase knowledge of data producers of rationale behind administrative procedures preceding the preparation of statistics • Statistical proceeding of short-term migrants should also take into account the legal framework for the sojourns of foreigners • no adjustments of administrative procedures for statistical purposes necessary • Statistics on short-term migration should be provided under harmonised criteria on a European level

14. CONCLUSION • The main question guiding the process of harmonisation and improving migration statistics should be: “What kind of “migration reality” are we going to produce in the future?”

15. The use of time stamps for measuring short-term migrants in Austrian Migration Statistics Submitted by STATISTICS AUSTRIA Stephan Marik-Lebeck stephan.marik-lebeck@statistik.gv.at www.statistik.at