Database descriptions, statistical standards (resolutions and guidelines), and guides and manuals – all the metadata to better understand the labour statistics presented on ILOSTAT.
- Tools for Data Producers
Table of Contents
The ILO has been collecting labour statistics from national statistical offices and government ministries for decades. Below is information regarding three of the main ILO data inquiries currently ongoing. The data are disseminated in ILO databases and publications and also used to report for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). First, we provide an overview of the reporting system used for two of these inquiries.
StaRS: Statistics Reporting System for ILOSTAT
ILOSTAT StaRS allows for convenient reporting of labour statistics to the ILO Department of Statistics. Users can submit completed questionnaires and microdata files, find reference materials regarding statistical concepts, review data availability and update contact information. This system is currently used for two data inquiries: The ILOSTAT questionnaire and International Labour Migration Statistics (ILMS) questionnaire.
StaRS access
Registered users
If you received an email directly from ILOSTAT_QUEST then your contact information is already in StaRS. Log in by entering your email and existing password in the designated fields and click on the “Login” button. If you forgot your password, click on “Reset password” (3rd item below the Login button).
If this is the first time using StaRS, click on “First time login” (1st item below the Login button). Follow the instructions to create a password.
New users
If you were forwarded the inquiry from a colleague within your agency and you have never used StaRS, create a username and password by clicking on “Create account” (2nd item below the Login button).
If your agency was newly created, please contact us by clicking on “Contact” (item in the bottom left). Please note that the ILOSTAT and ILMS questionnaires are used to collect official data only. We do not collect citizen-generated data to publish as final outputs on ILOSTAT.
ILOSTAT questionnaire
The ILOSTAT questionnaire is sent annually to national statistical offices and ministries of labour to collect indicators on a wide range of topics that come from a variety of sources, including but not limited to household surveys, establishment surveys, and administrative records. The data compiled from this inquiry get disseminated in various ILOSTAT databases.
For instructions on completing the ILOSTAT questionnaire, data reporters can refer to the Guide to reporting labour statistics to the ILO using the Excel questionnaire.
Also note that the ILMS questionnaire described in the next section uses the same system as the ILOSTAT questionnaire. Watch the ILMS video below for tips on how to complete these questionnaires.
Related database descriptions
Related topic pages
ILMS questionnaire
The ILMS questionnaire is sent annually, usually in the fall, to national statistical offices and various ministries to collect indicators on migrant worker stocks and flows. Data are disseminated in the ILMS database of ILOSTAT featured on the migrant workers topic page.
Tutorials for data reporters
The ILMS questionnaire : concepts and indicators
Practical guide to complete the ILMS questionnaire
Social Security Inquiry (SSI)
ILO/SSI, the ILO Social Security Inquiry, is the main questionnaire used by the Social Protection Department to compile data on social protection systems worldwide, used as a basis for monitoring SDG 1.3.1 and its components.
ILO/SSI data include indicators on social protection coverage, revenues and expenditures and the adequacy of benefit levels. More information, including getting started and technical guides, are available from the SSI site. Registered users can also go directly to the SSI login page.
Learn more about ILO/SSI
Frequently asked questions
It depends. There are three regular (sent at least once per year) data inquiries used to compile statistics for ILOSTAT and ILO publications. The ILO may send additional inquiries for ad hoc data collection.
The ILOSTAT questionnaire is sent in mid May, with a due date of end of June. The ILMS questionnaire is sent in September. SSI is sent to a subset of countries at regular intervals.
The ILO’s data inquiries are used to collect official statistics produced by government agencies. Country-level figures published on ILOSTAT reflect these data. However, citizen-generated data and big data may be used as inputs to econometric models.