Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO)

Population Section

Swiss Federal Statistical Office
Population Section
Espace de l'Europe 10
2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland

Since 2010, the census is conducted and evaluated on an annual basis by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). This new census is based on a "Register Survey" that evaluates existing administrative data. To this end, the FSO uses cantonal and communal population registers, federal registers of persons and the Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings. For census purposes, the information that is not contained in a register is collected with an additional sample survey, the annual "Structural Survey" of 200,000 people; cantons and cities can enlarge the sample for their area

The Register Survey provides information: a) about people and households on age, sex, marital status, nationality, household size, etc.; b) about buildings and dwellings according to age, building category, number of dwellings, number of rooms, area etc. The Register Survey provides basic information about the entire population; the data can be evaluated at a very detailed geographical level.

The Structural Survey provides information on the themes of population, households, families, housing, employment, mobility, education, language and religion. The sample population is composed of persons aged 15 or more of the permanent resident population living in private households; this population is surveyed in writing (participation by internet or by completing a written questionnaire). The survey complements the information from the registers and provides additional statistics on the structure of the population. The results are available at geographic aggregation levels: Switzerland, major regions, cantons and communes with more than 15,000 inhabitants.

ISCO-08, NACE Rev. 2, etc.

Usual residence means the place of legal residence, that is the main residence of the person according to the population registers, regardless of temporary absences for purposes of recreation, holidays, visits to friends and relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage.
Persons legally resident in the place of enumeration but absent, or expected to be absent, at the time of the census for less than one year are considered as temporarily absent persons and thus included in the total legally resident population (the so-called permanent resident population). In contrast, persons living or expected to live outside the place of enumeration for one year or more are not considered temporarily absent and are therefore excluded from the total population. This is regardless of the length of visits that they may pay to their families from time to time.
Persons who are enumerated but do not meet the criteria for permanent legal residence in the place of enumeration, i.e. do not live or do not expect to live in the place of enumeration for a continuous period of at least 12 months, are considered temporarily present and are therefore not counted in the total legally resident population.

sex = 1 -> man

sex = 2  -> woman

The age reached at the reference date (in completed years).

Marital status is the (legal) conjugal status of an individual in relation to the marriage laws of the country (de jure status).
A person shall be classified according to his/her most recently acquired legal marital status at the reference date.
'Registered partnerships' are reported only by countries that have a legal framework regulating partnerships that:
(a) lead to legal conjugal obligations between two persons;
(b) are not marriages;
(c) prevent persons to commit themselves into multiple partnerships with different partners.
In countries where the legislation includes provisions for married partners to be 'legally separated', such 'legally separated' persons are classified under 'married'.

Rules regulating marriages are found in the Swiss Civil Code of 10 December 1907 (Status as of 1 July 2013). According to Article 94, "To be able to marry, the parties to the engagement must have reached 18 years of age and have the capacity of judgement."

The "Loi fédérale sur le partenariat enregistré entre personnes du même sexe du 18 juin 2004" (Federal law on registered partnership between persons of the same sex, Status as of 1 July 2013) regulates registered partnerships. Same-sex partners can have their partnership registered; similarly to marriage, the parties must have reached 18 years of age and have the capacity of judgement.

The family nucleus is defined in the narrow sense, that is as two or more persons who belong to the same household and who are related as husband and wife, as partners in a registered partnership, as partners in a consensual union, or as parent and child. Thus a family comprises a couple without children, or a couple with one or more children, or a lone parent with one or more children. This family concept limits relationships between children and adults to direct (first-degree) relationships, that is between parents and children.
Child (son/daughter) refers to a blood, step- or adopted son or daughter (regardless of age or marital status) who has usual residence in the household of at least one of the parents, and who has no partner or own children in the same household. Foster children are not included. A son or daughter who lives with a spouse, with a registered partner, with a partner in a consensual union, or with one or more own children, is not considered to be a child.
The term couple includes married couples, couples who live in a consensual union, and same-sex couples in a registered partnership. In Switzerland registered partnerships of opposite-sex couples do not exist.
Two persons are considered to be partners in a 'consensual union' when they
— belong to the same household, and
— have a marriage-like relationship with each other, and
— are not married to or in a registered partnership with each other.
'Skip-generation households' (households consisting of a grandparent or grandparents and one or more grandchildren, but no parent of those grandchildren) are included in the definition of a family.

Switzerland applies the 'household dwelling' concept. All persons that belong to the permanent resident population and that are living in a household unit to be members of the same household per occupied housing unit are considered under the 'household dwelling' concept. The number of housing units and the number of households occupying them is equal, and the locations of the housing units and households are identical.
The category 'Persons living in a private household' comprises 'Persons in a family nucleus' and 'Persons not in a family nucleus'. The category 'Persons in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who belong to a private household that contains a family nucleus of which they are a member. 'Persons not in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who either belong to a non-family household or to a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household.
A non-family household can be a one-person household ('Living alone') or a multiperson household without any family nucleus. The category 'Not living alone' comprises persons that live either in a multiperson household without any family nucleus or in a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household. Persons who belong to a skip-generation household and who are not member of any family nucleus in that household shall be classified in the optional category 'Persons living in a household with relative(s)'.
The term 'son/daughter' is defined as the term 'child' in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'. 'Husband/wife couple' means a married opposite-sex couple.
'Registered partnership' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Legal marital status'. 'Consensual union' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'.
The category 'Partners' comprises 'Persons in a married couple', 'Partners in a registered partnership' and 'Partners in a consensual union'.
'Primary homeless persons' could not be surveyed nor estimated in Switzerland. They are persons living in the streets without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters as defined in the technical specifications for the topic 'Type of living quarters'.

Current activity status' is the current relationship of a person to economic activity, based on a reference period of one week, which may be either a specified, recent, fixed, calendar week, or the last complete calendar week, or the last seven days prior to enumeration.
The 'currently economically active population' comprises all persons who fulfil the requirements for inclusion among the employed or the unemployed.
'Employed' persons comprise all persons aged 15 years or over who during the reference week:
(a) performed at least one hour of work for pay or profit, in cash or in kind, or
(b) were temporarily absent from a job in which they had already worked and to which they maintained a formal attachment, or from a self-employment activity.
The 'unemployed' comprise all persons aged 15 years or over who were:
(a) 'without work', that is, were not in wage employment or self-employment during the reference week; and
(b) 'currently available for work', that is, were available for wage employment or self-employment during the reference week and for two weeks after that; and
(c) 'seeking work', that is, had taken specific steps to seek wage employment or self-employment within four weeks ending with the reference week.
The category 'Currently not economically active' includes persons below the national minimum age for economic activity.
In ascribing a single activity status to each person, priority is given to the status of 'employed' in preference to 'unemployed', and to the status of 'unemployed' in preference to 'not economically active'.

Occupation' refers to the type of work done in a job (that is the main tasks and duties of the work). Persons doing more than one job are allocated an occupation based on their main job, which is identified according to the time spent on the job or, if not available, to the income received.
The breakdown by occupation is available for persons aged 15 or over that were:
— employed during the reference week, or
— unemployed during the reference week, but have ever been in employment
Persons are classified according to the occupation they had during their most recent employment. The categories included in the breakdown 'occupation' correspond to the major groups of the ISCO-08 (COM) classification.
Persons under the age of 15 years, as well as persons aged 15 or over that were:
— not economically active during the reference week, or
— unemployed, never worked before (i.e. they have never been employed in their lives)
are classified under 'not applicable'.
The allocation of a person within the breakdowns of the topics 'Occupation', 'Industry' and 'Status in employment' is based on the same job.

Industry (branch of economic activity) is the kind of production or activity of the establishment (or similar unit) in which the job of a currently economically active person is located.
Persons doing more than one job shall be allocated an industry (branch of economic activity) based on their main job, which is to be identified according to the time spent on the job or (if not available) the income received.
The breakdown by industry is available for persons aged 15 or over that were:
— employed during the reference week, or
— unemployed during the reference week, but have ever been in employment
Persons are classified according to the industry they worked in during their most recent employment. The categories included in the breakdown 'industry' list the 21 sections of the NACE Rev. 2 classification and appropriate aggregates.
Persons under the age of 15 years, as well as persons aged 15 or over that were:
— not economically active during the reference week, or
— unemployed, and have never worked before (i.e. have never been employed in their lives)
are classified under 'not applicable'.
The allocation of a person within the breakdowns of the topics 'Occupation', 'Industry' and 'Status in employment' is based on the same job.

An 'employee' is a person who works in a 'paid employment' job, that is a job where the explicit or implicit contract of employment gives the incumbent a basic remuneration, which is independent of the revenue of the unit for which he/she works.
An 'employer' is a person who, working on his or her own account or with a small number of partners, holds a 'self-employment' job and, in this capacity, on a continuous basis (including the reference week) has engaged one or more persons to work for him/her as 'employees'.
If a person is both employer and employee, he/she shall be allocated to only one group according to the time spent on the job or (if not available) the income received.
An 'own-account worker' is a person who, working on his/her own account or with one or a few partners, holds a 'self-employment job' and has not engaged, on a continuous basis (including the reference week), any 'employees'.
A 'contributing family worker' is a person who
— holds a 'self-employment’ job in a market-oriented establishment operated by a related person, living in the same household, and
— cannot be regarded as a partner (that is an employer or own-account worker) because the degree of commitment to the operation of the establishment, in terms of working time or other factors to be determined by national circumstances, is not at a level comparable to that of the head of the establishment.
A 'member of a producers' cooperative' is a person who holds a 'self-employment' job in an establishment organised as a coop­ erative, in which each member takes part on an equal footing with other members in determining the organisation of production, sales and/or other work, the investments and the distribution of the proceeds among the members.

The location of the place of work is the geographical area in which a currently employed person does his/her job.
The place of work of those mostly working at home is the same as their usual residence. The term 'working' refers to work done as an 'employed person' as defined under the topic 'Current activity status'. 'Mostly' working at home means that the person spends all or most of the time working at home, and less, or no, time in a place of work other than at home.

'Educational attainment' refers to the highest level successfully completed in the educational system of the country where the education was received. All education which is relevant to the completion of a level is taken into account even if this was provided outside schools and universities.
Persons aged 15 years or over are classified under only one of the categories according to their educational attainment (highest completed level). Persons under the age of 15 years are classified under 'not applicable'.

A locality is defined as a distinct population cluster, that is an area defined by population living in neighbouring or contiguous buildings. Such buildings may either:
(a) form a continuous built-up area with a clearly recognisable street formation; or
(b) though not part of such a built-up area, comprise a group of buildings to which a locally recognised place name is uniquely attached; or
(c) though not meeting either of the above two criteria, constitute a group of buildings, none of which is separated from its nearest neighbour by more than 200 metres.

Place of birth is defined as the place in which the birth took place.
Information on the country of birth is based on the international boundaries existing on 31 December 2011. 'EU Member State', in particular, means a country that is a member of the European Union on 31 December 2011. The list of countries in the breakdown 'country/place of birth' serves only for statistical purposes.
For Switzerland that is not a EU Member State, the category 'Other EU Member State' shall be read as 'EU Member State'.
The category 'Information not classifiable according to current borders' covers those persons whose country of birth existed at the time of the birth, but no longer exists at the time of the census, and who cannot be allocated uniquely to one country existing at the time of the census, i.e. according to current borders.

For countries that are not described in legislation 1201:

Kosovo (8256) is under EUR_OTH, Sahara W (8372) under AFR_OTH, Sud Soudan (8363) under AFR_OTH, Palestine (8550) under ASI_OTH.

Citizenship is defined as the particular legal bond between an individual and his/her State, acquired by birth or naturalisation, whether by declaration, option, marriage or other means according to the national legislation.
A person with two or more citizenships is allocated to only one country of citizenship, to be determined in the following order of precedence:
1. reporting country; or
2. if the person does not have the citizenship of the reporting country: other EU Member State; 3. if the person does not have the citizenship of another EU Member State: other country outside the European Union.
'EU Member State' means a country that is a member of the European Union on 31 December 2011. The list of countries in the breakdown 'Country of citizenship' shall only apply for statistical purposes.
For Switzerland that is not a EU Member State, the category 'citizenship not of reporting country, but other EU Member State' shall be changed to 'citizenship of an EU Member State'.

For countries recognized by Switzerland and not by UE:

Kosovo (8256) is under EUR_OTH, Sahara W (8372) under AFR_OTH, Sud Soudan (8363) under AFR_OTH, Palestine (8550) under ASI_OTH

The year of arrival is the calendar year in which a person most recently established usual residence in the country. The data for 2011 refer to the time span between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011.

This indicates the relationship between the current place of usual residence and the place of usual residence one year prior to the census. Children under one year of age are classified under 'Not applicable'.
For all persons that have changed their usual residence more than once within the year prior to the reference date, the previous place of usual residence is the last usual residence from which they moved to their current place of usual residence.

The topic 'Housing arrangements' covers the whole population and refers to the type of housing in which a person usually resides at the time of the census. This covers all persons who are usual residents in different types of living quarters, or who do not have a usual residence and stay temporarily in some type of living quarters, or who are roofless, sleeping rough or in emergency shelters, when the census is taken.
Occupants are persons with their usual residence in the places listed in the respective category.
'Conventional dwellings' are structurally separate and independent premises at fixed locations which are designed for permanent human habitation and are, at the reference date, either used as a residence, or vacant, or reserved for seasonal or secondary use.
'Separate' means surrounded by walls and covered by a roof or ceiling so that one or more persons can isolate themselves. 'Independent' means having direct access from a street or a staircase, passage, gallery or grounds.
'Other housing units' are huts, cabins, shacks, shanties, caravans, houseboats, barns, mills, caves or any other shelter used for human habitation at the time of the census, irrespective if it was designed for human habitation.
'Collective living quarters' are premises which are designed for habitation by large groups of individuals or several households and which are used as the usual residence of at least one person at the time of the census.
'Occupied conventional dwellings', 'other housing units' and 'collective living quarters' together represent'‘living quarters'. Any 'living quarter' must be the usual residence of at least one person.
The sum of occupied conventional dwellings and other housing units represents 'housing units'.
The homeless (persons who are not usual residents in any living quarter category) can be persons living in the streets without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters (primary homelessness) or persons moving frequently between temporary accommodation (secondary homelessness).

The family nucleus is defined in the narrow sense, that is as two or more persons who belong to the same household and who are related as husband and wife, as partners in a registered partnership, as partners in a consensual union, or as parent and child. Thus a family comprises a couple without children, or a couple with one or more children, or a lone parent with one or more children. This family concept limits relationships between children and adults to direct (first-degree) relationships, that is between parents and children.
Child (son/daughter) refers to a blood, step- or adopted son or daughter (regardless of age or marital status) who has usual residence in the household of at least one of the parents, and who has no partner or own children in the same household. Foster children are not included. A son or daughter who lives with a spouse, with a registered partner, with a partner in a consensual union, or with one or more own children, is not considered to be a child.
The term couple includes married couples, couples who live in a consensual union, and same-sex couples in a registered partnership. In Switzerland registered partnerships of opposite-sex couples do not exist.
Two persons are considered to be partners in a 'consensual union' when they
— belong to the same household, and
— have a marriage-like relationship with each other, and
— are not married to or in a registered partnership with each other.
'Skip-generation households' (households consisting of a grandparent or grandparents and one or more grandchildren, but no parent of those grandchildren) are included in the definition of a family.

The family nucleus is defined in the narrow sense, that is as two or more persons who belong to the same household and who are related as husband and wife, as partners in a registered partnership, as partners in a consensual union, or as parent and child. Thus a family comprises a couple without children, or a couple with one or more children, or a lone parent with one or more children. This family concept limits relationships between children and adults to direct (first-degree) relationships, that is between parents and children.
Child (son/daughter) refers to a blood, step- or adopted son or daughter (regardless of age or marital status) who has usual residence in the household of at least one of the parents, and who has no partner or own children in the same household. Foster children are not included. A son or daughter who lives with a spouse, with a registered partner, with a partner in a consensual union, or with one or more own children, is not considered to be a child.
The term couple includes married couples, couples who live in a consensual union, and same-sex couples in a registered partnership. In Switzerland registered partnerships of opposite-sex couples do not exist.
Two persons are considered to be partners in a 'consensual union' when they
— belong to the same household, and
— have a marriage-like relationship with each other, and
— are not married to or in a registered partnership with each other.
'Skip-generation households' (households consisting of a grandparent or grandparents and one or more grandchildren, but no parent of those grandchildren) are included in the definition of a family.

Switzerland applies the 'household dwelling' concept. All persons that belong to the permanent resident population and that are living in a household unit to be members of the same household per occupied housing unit are considered under the 'household dwelling' concept. The number of housing units and the number of households occupying them is equal, and the locations of the housing units and households are identical.
The category 'Persons living in a private household' comprises 'Persons in a family nucleus' and 'Persons not in a family nucleus'. The category 'Persons in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who belong to a private household that contains a family nucleus of which they are a member. 'Persons not in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who either belong to a non-family household or to a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household.
A non-family household can be a one-person household ('Living alone') or a multiperson household without any family nucleus. The category 'Not living alone' comprises persons that live either in a multiperson household without any family nucleus or in a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household. Persons who belong to a skip-generation household and who are not member of any family nucleus in that household shall be classified in the optional category 'Persons living in a household with relative(s)'.
The term 'son/daughter' is defined as the term 'child' in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'. 'Husband/wife couple' means a married opposite-sex couple.
'Registered partnership' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Legal marital status'. 'Consensual union' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'.
The category 'Partners' comprises 'Persons in a married couple', 'Partners in a registered partnership' and 'Partners in a consensual union'.
'Primary homeless persons' could not be surveyed nor estimated in Switzerland. They are persons living in the streets without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters as defined in the technical specifications for the topic 'Type of living quarters'.

Switzerland applies the 'household dwelling' concept. All persons that belong to the permanent resident population and that are living in a housing unit to be members of the same household, such that there is one household per occupied housing unit considered under the 'household dwelling' concept. The number of occupied housing units and the number of households occupying them is equal, and the locations of the housing units and households are identical.
The category 'Persons living in a private household' comprises 'Persons in a family nucleus' and 'Persons not in a family nucleus'. The category 'Persons in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who belong to a private household that contains a family nucleus of which they are a member. 'Persons not in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who either belong to a non-family household or to a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household.
A non-family household can be a one-person household ('Living alone') or a multiperson household without any family nucleus. The category 'Not living alone' comprises persons that live either in a multiperson household without any family nucleus or in a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household. Persons who belong to a skip-generation household and who are not member of any family nucleus in that household shall be classified in the optional category 'Persons living in a household with relative(s)'.
The term 'son/daughter' is defined as the term 'child' in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'. 'Husband/wife couple' means a married opposite-sex couple.
'Registered partnership' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Legal marital status'. 'Consensual union' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'.
The category 'Partners' comprises 'Persons in a married couple', 'Partners in a registered partnership' and 'Partners in a consensual union'.
'Primary homeless persons' could not be surveyed nor estimated in Switzerland. They are persons living in the streets without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters as defined in the technical specifications for the topic 'Type of living quarters'.

The topic 'Tenure status of households' refers to the arrangements under which a private household occupies a dwelling. Les ménages dont au moins un membre est propriétaire du logement (propriétaire du logement, propriétaire par étage ou propriétaire du bâtiment) sont classés sous 'Households of which at least one member is the owner of the housing unit'. Les ménages dont au moins un membre paie la location du logement ou est coopérateur sont classés sous 'Households of which at least one member is a tenant of all or part of the housing unit'. Les ménages dont tous les membres occupent un logement mis à disposition gratuitement par un parent ou un employeur, ou dans un logement de service (p.ex. logement de concierge), ou un logement avec bail à ferme sont classés sous 'Households occupying all or part of a housing unit under some other form of tenure'.

Seuls les 'Conventional dwellings' sont recensés. 'Conventional dwellings' are structurally separate and independent premises at fixed locations which are designed for permanent human habitation and are, at the reference date, either used as a residence, or vacant, or reserved for seasonal or secondary use, ou utilisés à d'autres fins que l'habitation, ou inhabitables. Ils comportent nécessairement un équipement de cuisine (cuisine ou cuisinette).

Le statut d'occupation n'étant pas relevé dans le recensement, tous les logements sont considérés comme 'Occupied conventional dwellings'.

The topic 'Type of ownership' refers to the ownership of the dwelling and not to that of the land on which the dwelling stands.
'Owner-occupied dwellings' are those where at least one occupant of the dwelling owns parts or the whole of the dwelling (propriétaire du logement, propriétaire par étage ou propriétaire du bâtiment). 'Cooperative ownership' refers to un membre d'une société coopérative de construction et d'habitation occupant un logement de cette société.
'Rented dwellings' are those where at least one occupant pays a rent for the occupation of the dwelling, and where no occupant owns parts or the whole of the dwelling (locataire ou sous-locataire). 'Dwellings in other types of ownership' sont notamment ceux mis à disposition gratuitement par un parent ou un employeur, ou les logements de service (p.ex. logement de concierge), ou les baux à ferme.

The number of occupants of a housing unit is the number of people for whom the dwelling is the usual residence.

Cette variable n'est pas livrée.

A 'room' is defined as une pièce d’habitation telle que séjours, chambres à coucher, chambres des enfants etc. Ne sont pas comptés comme pièces les cuisines, les salles de bain, les douches, les toilettes, les réduits, les corridors et les demi-pièces.

Cette variable n'est pas livrée.

The topic ‘Density standard (number of rooms)’ relates the number of rooms to the number of occupants, as specified under the topic 'Number of occupants'.

'Piped water in the housing unit' signifie que le logement dispose d'une installation d'eau chaude.
'No piped water in the housing unit' signifie que le logement ne dispose pas d'une installation d'eau chaude.

La variable 'Toilet facilities' n'étant pas relevé dans le recensement, tous les logements sont considérés avec 'Flush toilet in the housing unit'.

La variable 'Bathing facilities' n'étant pas relevé dans le recensement, tous les logements sont considérés avec 'Fixed bath or shower in the housing unit'.

A dwelling is considered as centrally heated if heating is provided either from a community heating centre or from an installation built in the building or in the dwelling, established for heating purposes, without regard to the source of energy.

The topic 'Dwellings by type of building' refers to the number of dwellings in the building in which the dwelling is placed, indépendamment du fait que le bâtiment a ou non un usage autre que l'habitation, annexe ou principal.

The topic 'Dwellings by period of construction' refers to the year when the building in which the dwelling is placed was completed.

The EU programme for the 2011 population and housing censuses include data on persons, private households, family nuclei, conventional dwellings and living quarters.

Persons enumerated in the 2011 census are those who were legally resident in the territory of the reporting country at the census reference date. The legal residence is the main residence of the person as registered in the population register, regardless of temporary absences for purposes of recreation, holidays, visits to friends and relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage. Persons who are enumerated but do not meet the criteria for permanent legal residence in the place of enumeration, i.e. do not live or do not expect to live in the place of enumeration for a continuous perod of at least 12 months, are considered temporarily present and are therefore not counted in the total permanent resident population.

Data are available at different levels of geographical detail: national, NUTS2, NUTS3 and local administrative units (LAU2)

Data refer to the situation in the reporting country at the census reference date (see item 5)

Counts of statistical units

The Federal Act of 22 June 2007 on the Federal Census (Census Act) SR 431.112 states in its article 9:
1 The body responsible for the survey is the Federal Statistical Office.
2 The Federal Statistical Office may entrust third parties with the conduct of the surveys.

This law is complemented by the Swiss Federal Ordinance of 19 December 2008 on the Federal Population Census (SR 431.112.1).

More information can be found here: http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/news/02/06.html

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO)

Not available.

• Federal Act on Data Protection of 19 June 1992 (SR 235.1)
• Ordinance to the Federal Act on Data Protection of 14 June 1993 (SR 235.11)
• Federal Statistics Act of 9 October 1992 (SR 431.01)
• Swiss Federal Act of 22 June 2007 on the Federal Population Census (Census Act; SR 431.112)
• Swiss Federal Ordinance of 19 December 2008 on the Federal Population Census (SR 431.112.1)

"Section 5 - Dissemination and services" of the Federal Statistics Act specifies:
Art. 18, par. 3: Unless such publication is required by law, the results may not enable any conclusions to be drawn regarding the circumstances of individual natural persons or legal entities that the person or entity concerned has not already made generally available.
Art. 19, par. 2: The federal statistical bodies providers may disclose personal data for purposes not related to specific persons, in particular for research, planning or statistics, to research and statistical offices of the Confederation and to third parties, if:
a. the data is rendered anonymous, as soon as the purpose of the processing the data is achieved;
b. the recipient divulges the data with the consent of the statistics generators;
c. the recipient only discloses the results so that the persons concerned are not recognisable; and
d. the recipient meets the requirements for compliance with statistical secrecy and the other data protection provisions.

Pour les hypercubes contenant des variables ménage et famille (sources principales, enquête par échantillonnage):

• Valeur ou extrapolation basée sur 1 à 4 observations. Les valeurs ne sont pas publiées en raison de la protection des données => marquer la valeur dans l’hypercube par « confidential » (C)
• Valeur ou extrapolation basée sur 5 à 49 observations. Les résultats sont à interpréter avec beaucoup de précaution => marquer la valeur dans l’hypercube par « unreliable » (U)

Pour les hypercubes contenant uniquement des variables personnes et logement (sources principales, registres):

Valeur entre 1 à 4. Les valeurs ne sont pas publiées en raison de la protection des données => marquer la valeur dans l’hypercube par « confidential » (C)

Data are made available 27 months after the end of the reference period (March 2014)

Data and metadata are available on internet.

Data are mostly made available through excel-tables and interactive tables (PC-Axis), on the web pages of the FSO, in German and French, and partly in Italian and English  http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index.html

For researchers, imicro data can be made available for a limited duration, after signing a data protection contract.

Since 2010, data on population and housing censuses are disseminated yearly.

Press releases for the census can be found on these pages:

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/news/medienmitteilungen.html (English)

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/news/medienmitteilungen.html (German)

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index/news/medienmitteilungen.html (French)

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/it/index/news/medienmitteilungen.html (Italian)

Data are mainly available on the FSO internet pages. A special page is dedicated to the results of the Swiss census:
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/news/04.html (German)
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index/news/04.html (French)

but results can also be found under different topics, for example "Population":
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/themen/01.html

The yearly printed publications "Statistical Yearbook of Switzerland", "Statistical Data on Switzerland" and "Switzerland's population" present (among other topics) results of the census. They can also be found on the FSO web pages:
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/news/publikationen.html
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/news/publikationen.html

The main results of the census are disseminated through interactive tables (PC-Axis):

http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Dialog/statfile.asp?lang=2&prod=01

Micro data can be made available to researchers, for a limited period of time, provided they sign a data protection contract. More information can be found on the following page of the FSO Website:

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/dienstleistungen/research.html (German)

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index/dienstleistungen/research.html (French)

Ad-hoc reports and analyses for external clients.

Methodology reports will only be available later in 2014.

Below are several links to some documents describing the Swiss Census.

The final report on the coverage assessment will be available later in 2014.

Below are two links describing briefly the coverage assessment (German and French only).

The quality assurance measures are documented in the detailed concepts of each of the four elements of the Swiss Census. These are internal documents only.

The final report on the coverage assessment will be pulished later in 2014.

The final report on the coverage assessment will be available later in 2014.

The final report on the coverage assessment will be available later in 2014.

The census data disseminated by Eurostat are addressed to policy makers, researchers, media and the general public.

No user satisfaction surveys are carried out. User inquiries are handled by the Eurostat User Support service.

Depends on the availability of data transmitted by the National Statistical Institutes.

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore usual residence in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older or to private households with that population.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore sex in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore age in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore marital status in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore educational attainment in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

ISCED Level 4: Post secondary non-tertiary education (ED4) is not available in Switzerland

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore place of birth in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore country of citizenship in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore year of arrival in the country in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

The following hypercubes are based mainly on the Structural Survey which surveys only the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older living in private households. Therefore residence one year before in these hypercubes refers only to the permanent resident population aged 15 years or older.

Hypercubes: HC01 to HC44 and HC47 to HC52 and HC54, HC57 and HC58

Data of housing arrangements are mainly based on the Structural Survey of Switzerland which surveys the permanent resident population that resides in private households. Data on the usual population not living in private households is therefore not available.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

Données relevées par échantillon (SE).

Cette variable n'est pas livrée.

Cette variable n'est pas livrée.

Données relevées par échantillon (SE).

Données relevées par échantillon (SE).

Cette variable n'est pas livrée.

Données relevées par échantillon (SE).

Cette variable n'est pas livrée.

Données relevées par échantillon (SE).

Données relevées par échantillon (SE).

Cette variable n'est pas livrée.

Cette variable n'est pas livrée.

Données relevées par échantillon (SE).

Données de registre (StatBL) dans le cube n° 53 et données relevées par échantillon (SE) dans le cube n° 41.

Données de registre (StatBL).

The links below contain information concerning the sampling errors for estimations from the structural survey.

31.03.2014

Data from registers (STATPOP): Persons are enumerated where they are legally registered in the population registers, regardless of where most of the daily period of rest is spent. This also applies for children who alternate between two places of residence. Persons who work or study abroad but return home on a regular basis are included in the census population if they are registered in the population registers. The place of enumeration for homeless or roofless persons, nomads, vagrants and persons is also the commune where they are legally registered; if they are not officially registered in the commune, the FSO gets no information and therefore does not enumerate them.

Data from the sample survey (Structural Survey): Only the population aged 15 and over, and living in private households, is enumerated. Foreign diplomatic personnel and their families are excluded.

Au niveau des logements, que ce soient des données de registre (StatBL) ou relevées par échantillon (SE), ne sont recensés que ceux qui comportent un équipement de cuisine (cuisine ou cuisinette). Tous sont considérés ici comme 'Conventional dwellings', qu'ils soient either used as a residence, or vacant, or reserved for seasonal or secondary use, ou utilisés à d'autres fins que l'habitation, ou inhabitables. Tous les bâtiments et les logements recensés sont terminés au jour de référence.

Figures provided by the National Statistical Institutes in the framework of the 2011 Population and Housing Census may differ from those transmitted in other statistical domains due to the cross domain differences in definitions and methodologies used.  For additional information please see metadata specific to each domain.

Internal coherence is assured by regulations defining breakdowns and definitions of topics (Regulation (EC) No 1201/2009, Regulation (EU) No 519/2010, Regulation (EU) No 1151/2010)

The new annual Swiss Census has considerably reduced the burden on communes and respondents. Indeed register harmonization at national, regional and local levels have made it possible that data from registers can be extracted four times a year. The overall costs of compiling data thus have been reduced.

Further measures that helped reduce cost were: application of project management procedures, controlling, good coordination between developers of IT-applications and census specialists, extensive testing of Census procedures and IT-applications, quality control.

Below are links to the data revision policy (German and French only).

There are no updates of the hypercubes and quality hypercubes scheduled. There is one exception: the quality hypercube QHC02 will be updated later in 2014 with the final estimates for under- and over-coverage.

• Cantonal and communal population registers
• Federal registers of persons
• Structural Survey

• Cantonal and communal population registers
• Federal registers of persons
• Structural Survey

• Structural Survey

• Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings
• Structural Survey

• Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings
• Structural Survey

Since 2010, data on population and housing censuses are collected every year, with reference date 31 December.

Register-based data:
a) A special law was passed to define the content (only census data) of the already existing registers of persons used for the census: the Federal Act of 23 June 2006 on the Harmonisation of the Register of Residents and of other Official Registers of Persons (Register Harmonisation Act, RHA; SR 431.02. See also the Ordinance on Register Harmonisation of 21 November 2007, SR 431.021). It also addresses the transmission of data to the FSO, the legal obligations regarding registration, the delays in reporting, etc.
Art. 11 Duty to notify specifies:
The cantons shall issue the required regulations so that:
a. natural persons notify the official agency responsible for maintaining the register of residents within 14 days of relocation;
b. the persons required to report provide truthful information on the data defined in Article 6 and, if required, the relevant documents.
Persons can be registered in several registers, so during processing the FSO links the records with the help of a unique personal identifier (the social insurance number).
b) Concerning data on buildings and dwellings, the rules concerning the maintenance of the register are fixed in the Ordinance of 31 May 2000 on the Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings (SR 431.841).

Questionnaire-based data:
The questionnaire is available here  (see "Translation aid for the structural survey 2013"):
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/news/02/03/02.html
The sample population (sample of persons aged 15 and over living in private households) is drawn from the register-based data. Persons receive the questionnaires per post and can return it the same way or answer via the internet.

All data treatments are done in accordance with the EDIMBUS Recommended Practices on Editing and Imputation in Cross Sectional Business Surveys (see link below). Although these recommendations have been developped for business surveys, they are also applicable to census surveys.

All data treatments are done in accordance with the EDIMBUS Recommended Practices on Editing and Imputation in Cross Sectional Business Surveys (see link below). Although these recommendations have been developped for business surveys, they are also applicable to census surveys.