Everyone living in Estonia is welcome to fill in a short e-questionnaire for the Census
From today until 22 January 2022, the e-questionnaire for the Population and Housing Census is open. Everyone living in Estonia is welcome to respond to the e-census. Only people who are included in the survey sample may expect a phone call or visit from a census taker if they have not filled in the e-questionnaire.
Liina Osila, Population and Housing Census project manager at Statistics Estonia, said that today’s questionnaire launch was preceded in the autumn by the first stage of the census, or updating one’s data in the population register. The next step is filling in the short, five-minute e‑questionnaire. “The questionnaire is available until January 22, which should provide enough time for all Estonian residents to respond to it,” said Osila.
“In this year’s register-based census, the whole population will be automatically enumerated, even if people do not do anything themselves. We are still inviting everyone to participate in the census, because every answer counts, and this way the results will be more accurate. Participation is mandatory for approximately 61,000 people who are part of a random sample,” said the census project manager. “All persons whose permanent residence is in Estonia can answer to the questionnaire, and they will receive a reminder by e-mail. These people for whom completing the e-census is mandatory will also receive a paper invitation by regular mail.”
According to the updated census timetable, the online questionnaire can be completed from 28 December 2021 to 22 January 2022. After that, during the period 1–28 February 2022, census takers will collect data from the people who failed to fill in the questionnaire but who live at randomly selected addresses from which it is mandatory to respond to the census questionnaire. Collected and analysed data will be published gradually starting from June 2022 until the end of the year.
The online questionnaire can be filled in at census.ee after authenticating oneself with an ID-card, Mobile-ID or Smart-ID. It takes around five minutes per person to complete the questionnaire.
The questionnaire only includes questions to which researchers, officials and organisations need answers that are not yet available in registers. These concern, for example, the knowledge of languages and dialects, religious affiliation and limitations on daily activities due to health problems.
For further information, see census.ee.