LFS questionnaire viewer
A household roster and three versions of the LFS individual questionnaire were developed and can be browsed on this page.
Evidence gathered through pilot studies suggests that these three versions can produce comparable estimates for key labour market indicators, but can be more suitable depending on the country context.
In addition to core LFS questionnaires, a number of LFS modules to collect data on other forms of work or on specific topics related to employment were developed as well.
While the questionnaire content presented has been validated through extensive testing in different countries, it is recommended that the content will need to be adapted to national context and languages, and tested before using at full-scale.
To view any of these questionnaires, first, check below the conventions used in the viewer. Then, use the buttons above to learn about the key LFS indicators and see the content of a specific questionnaire.
Conventions used in all LFS questionnaires and modules:
- Regular text: Indicates text to be read out loud by the interviewer
- CAPS: INDICATES INTERVIEWER INSTRUCTIONS, AIDS, RESPONSE CATEGORIES OR FILTERS NOT TO BE READ OUT LOUD
- (Parenthesis): Indicates that a choice or a substitution must be made
- Italic text: Indicates questions or other elements that may be included/excluded as per national context
- [Text in red square brackets]: Indicates text that must be adapted as per national context
- Bold text: Indicates question numbers, section headings, skips, and other structural items
- Skips are marked with this sign: ⟶
See below the key LFS indicators that can be produced using data collected applying any of the three versions of the LFS individual questionnaires. Click on the + sign to see what LFS questions are required to produce them and how to use answers to questions to derive relevant variables. Use the search box to find something specific.
The Household roster covers the minimum set of questions needed to capture essential social and demographic characteristics as background information
This set of questions supports basic disaggregation and analysis of labour force patterns by different sub-groups of the population.
- To be defined as per existing national household survey practice.
- The target population for labour force surveys generally covers the “resident population” living in private households. Depending on the national context and relevance to the national labour market, persons living in collective living quarters, such as camps and worker’s quarters, selected types of institutions, rooming houses and other lodging houses, may also be covered. The notion of resident population is based on the concept of “usual residence” based on a “de jure” enumeration approach.
- To be defined as per existing national household survey practice. Decisions regarding the concepts of “household” and “household member” and the enumeration approach (de jure or de facto) to be used will impact the instructions to be provided to enumerate the selected households and their members (i.e. rules for the identification of households and treatment of members absent, visitors, etc.). It is critical that this general guidance be adapted to be consistent with the national concepts and definitions to be used in the survey.
- In general, international guidance recommends using a “housekeeping” concept as basis to define a household and a “de jure” enumeration approach based on the concept of “usual residence”.
- The housekeeping concept defines “households” taking into account the pooling of resources to make provisions for food and other essentials for living. On this basis, there may be one-person or multi-person households, with members who may or may not be related. There may also be one or multiple households in a single dwelling unit. Households may also be located in collective living quarters, including institutions.
- Alternately some countries may use a “household dwelling” concept which considers all persons living in a housing unit as belonging to the same household. Following this concept, there is one household per occupied housing unit.
Individual LFS questionnaire for countries with low prevalence of small-scale own-account farming or fishing
This questionnaire starts with the detection of work for someone else in exchange for remuneration such as salary, wage, tips, or commissions as dependent workers. Respondents who were not involved in this type of work are further asked about engagement in both agricultural and non-agricultural work for profit as independent workers.
Individual LFS questionnaire for countries with high prevalence of small-scale own-account farming or fishing
This questionnaire starts with the detection of agricultural own-account work regardless of the intended destination of products (for market or for own consumption). Further, employed independent agricultural workers are identified using answers to the question on the main destination of their production. Then, respondents who did not work as independent workers in agriculture are asked questions to detect their involvement in employment as either dependent workers in any activity, or as independent workers in non-agricultural activities.
Individual LFS questionnaire which captures the main activity as self-declared in addition to labour force status
This questionnaire starts with the identification of the respondents’ self-perceived main activity. Then, those who report themselves as mainly working for pay or profit continue to questions on characteristics of the job. And those who report themselves as mainly doing something else, are asked questions to detect their possible engagement in paid work as either dependent or independent workers in any type of activities.
Se below the list of LFS modules developed to collect data on unpaid work and on special topics related to employment. Click on the + sign to find details about each of them. More modules will be added in the coming months.