Microcensus

The microcensus provides information about housing and internationally comparable data about employment, unemployment and education. As a sample survey it complements the since 2011 register-based census. Further, every year, a small set of questions concerning important topics, so called modules, are added. The microcensus ensures up-to-date statistics on housing and employment, so that the most important changes of the economic and social situation in Austria can be quickly detected.

Roughly 22 500 households are surveyed each quarter in Austria. They are randomly drawn from the Central Population Register. Within ten years a private household can be surveyed in up to five consecutive calendar quarters.

Microcensus questions focus on the topics “work” and “housing”. Additionally there are some general questions, i.e. about date of birth, gender, education etc. Part of the housholds receive additional questions from the current module, that focus on a relevant topic of the labour market.
Find further information on the questions of the microcensus and the current module in the sample questionnaires (in German language).

Roughly 150 persons conduct personal interviews all over Austria. Statistics Austria’s modern call center offers 44 work stations for telephone interviews. From the second microcensus survey onwards, households may participate online.

Online participation

Find the online questionnaire here.

Please keep the letter from Statistics Austria with your login details at hand!