National Statistics Office

Population and Migration Statistics

National Statistics Office

Population and Migration Statistics Unit

Lascaris

Valletta VLT 2000

MALTA

Total usually resident population for the purposes of qualified majority voting in the Council.

Not applicable.

Total usual residence population at national level.

Population is based on the concept of usual resident population (as stipulated in European Regulation (EC) No 1260/2013) and it is number of inhabitants on 31 December of the year in question. The population figures are based on data from the most recent census adjusted by the components of population change produced since the last census.

Population[T] = Population[T-1] + Births[T] - Deaths[T] + Net Migration[T]

where:

• Live birth means the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a result of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, which after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached: each result of such a birth is considered live-born, regardless of gestational age.
• Death means the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after live birth has taken place (postnatal cessation of vital functions without capability of resuscitation).
• Net migration is the difference between the number of immigrants and the number emigrants during the year (net migration is therefore negative when the number of emigrants exceeds the number of immigrants).

Person.

Not applicable.

Data are available at national level of geographical detail.

2006 - 2022

Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Person.

The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December).

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Micro data is collected in terms of the Malta Statistics Authority, in which Part VIII - Use of Records of Public Authorities and protection of collected information stipulates that:

• All information furnished by any person, undertaking or public authority under this Act shall be used only for the purpose of statistical compilation and analysis.
• No information obtained in any way under this Act which can be related to an identifiable person or undertaking shall, except with the written consent of that person or undertaking or the personal representative or next-of-kin of that person, if he be deceased, be disseminated, shown or communicated to any person or body except -

1. for the purposes of a prosecution for an offence under this Act, or
2. to officers of statistics in the course of their duties under this Act.

Furthermore, all data that is requested and collected is done so in line with the provisions of the General Data Potection Regulations allowing for data to be shared for statistical purposes. 

Not applicable as only the total aggregate figure is published therefore small count rules do not apply. Micro data is requested from Public Authorities in terms of the Malta Statistics Authority Act and in line with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulations allowing for data to be shared for statistical purposes.

NSO is a member of the Special Data Dissemination Standards (SDDS) Committee, which sets dissemination standards set by the International Monetary Fund with a view of enhancing the availability of timely and comprehensive statistics in order to support macroeconomic policies.  As a member of the SDDS Committee, NSO satisfies a number of criteria, which also entails the provision of an advanced news release calendar.  

NSO is a member of the Special Data Dissemination Standards (SDDS) Committee, which sets dissemination standards set by the International Monetary Fund with a view of enhancing the availability of timely and comprehensive statistics in order to support macroeconomic policies.  As a member of the SDDS Committee, NSO satisfies a number of criteria, which also entails the provision of an advanced news release calendar.  

NSO news release calendar is available on:  http://nso.gov.mt/en/News_Releases/Release_Calendar/Pages/News-Release-Calendar.aspx

Annual.

Population estimates are published annually in July to mark World Population Day.

Not applicable.

Some data can be downloaded from NSO's online database - StatDB: http://nso.gov.mt/statdb/start
More detailed information can be downloaded from Eurostat's online database: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

NSO follows the methodological recommendations stipulated by Eurostat and the Regulation in order to ensure harmonisation of results.  

The methodology to estimate the usual resident population is based on the computation of demographic events under the usual residence definition and adding this information to the usual residence population of the previous reference date.

NSO also documents all work processes involved in the compilation of these statistics, which are currently available for internal purposes.

See annex for further details.

Link to national reference metadata: https://metadata.nso.gov.mt/reports.aspx?id=36

Many efforts are made by NSO in order to ensure the production of demographic statistics at high quality standards.  Measures that are implemented during the analysis stage include:

• thorough checks on the administrative registers used for the compilation of vital events
• thorough checks on the administrative data used for the compilation of migration flows
• checks for double counting
• validation and cross-checking of results with auxiliary sources and past year's data, including census results

Data requested in compliance with Art. 4.1 of Reg. 1260/2013.

Not applicable.

Data transmitted as requested in Art. 4.1 of Reg. 1260/2013.

Possible sources of errors:

• under-reporting in administrative registers mainly due to late registrations
• over-coverage due to possible inconsistencies with the usual residence definition
• inaccuracies in the mathematical models used in order to estimate migration components not available in the registers

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

For the purposes of qualified majority voting in the Council, Member States shall provide the Commission (Eurostat) with data on the total population at national level at the reference time, in accordance with Article 2 ( c ), within eight months of the end of the reference year.

Figures required are provided in accordance with deadlines stipulated within Regulation 1260/2013.

Data is fully comparable.

Minor changes have been made over time in the methodology used for the compilation of population estimates. These changes were implemented in order to improve the accuracy of the estimates and cross-domain coherence. All improvements were implemented in line with the usual residence definiton and therefore it can be assumed that comparability over time is achieved.

The total usual residence population  transmitted by the national statistical offices to Eurostat in the framework of the Usual Residence Population data collection may differ from those available in National Accounts, Labour Force Survey or in the survey on Income and Living Conditions. The difference is given by the population coverage (see metadata specific to each domain).

The total usual residence population  transmitted by the national statistical offices to Eurostat in the framework of the Usual Residence Population data collection may differ from those available in the rest of the Demographic domain. The difference is given by the population definition (see metadata specific to each domain).

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Population: Compilation of demographic statistics is carried out mainly using administrative data, although mathematical models and survey based estimates are used for the compilation of some migration flows.

Births and Deaths: Compilation of these vital statistics are carried out mainly using administrative data.

Migration: Compilation of migration flows is carried out mainly using administrative data, although mathematical models and survey based estimates are used for the compilation of some migration flows. Data sources are as follows:

- Immigration of Maltese nationals - Tourstat (Tourism Border Survey) and the most recent Census

- Emigration of Maltese nationals - Tourstat (Tourism Border Survey) and the most recent Census

- Asylum Seekers - Data from the International Protection Agency, Refugee Appeals Board and Third Country Nationals Unit.

- EU nationals and UK nationals - Jobsplus - Engagement and Termination Forms for immigration and emigration respectively; Residence Permits Database for immigration and emigration estimates of dependents.

- Non-EU nationals excluding UK - Identity Malta Agency, Department of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs - Residence Permit Database

Annual.

Refer to 18.1 (Source Data).

Refer to 11 (Quality management).

All demographic indicators are calculated at national level and all aggregates use a common methodology.

DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS

Demographic balance - is the equation that describes the change in the size of the population due to the flows of live births, deaths, immigration and emigration that occur in the reference year T.

Vital events are compiled from administrative sources.

Net migration - the difference between the number of immigrants and the number emigrants during the year (net migration is therefore negative when the number of emigrants exceeds the number of immigrants).

Population[T] = Population[T-1] + Births[T] - Deaths[T] + Net Migration[T]

where:

Population[T] = total population on 31st December of the year T;

Population[T-1] = total population on 31st December of the previous year T-1;

Births[T] = total number of live births occurring during the year T;

Deaths[T] = total number of deaths occurring during the year T;

Net Migration[T] = net migration during the year T.

Migration flows are calculated using the following components:

Maltese Nationals

• Immigration of Maltese Nationals is calculated based on figures extracted from the most recent Census of Population and Housing using the information collected regarding residence one year prior to the Census. Using figures resulting from the Tourstat border survey, the change observed between the year when the census was undertaken and the reference year is applied on the Census figures.
• Emigration of Maltese Nationals is calculated based on the figures resulting from the Tourstat border survey for Maltese Nationals travelling from Malta. The duration of trip is analysed and an average number of persons who intend to stay away from Malta for 12 months or more over of the past 3 years is calculated.

EU and UK Nationals

• Immigration of EU nationals is calculated based on the figures of engagement forms presented by Jobsplus for the reference year in quesion. These are then linked to the termination of employment data in order to remove persons who have not been in employment for at least 1 year. The data is then checked with the ID card database (CDB) in order to remove persons who were registered in Malta prior to the reference year.
• Emigration of EU nationals is calculated based on the termination of employment data. Therefore, persons who terminated their job and have not been re-employed, are considered as emigrants.
• Both immigration and emigration of the dependents of EU Nationals are calculated based on a factor extracted from the EU nationals notifying their residence in Malta from the Residence Permits database.  

Non-EU Nationals excluding UK:

Asylum seekers:

• Immigration: The database held at the International Protection Agency is used to extract persons who submit a first application for asylum in the reference year. As of reference year 2022 first applicants for asylum are being included in the in flows. For reference year 2022, persons granted temporary protection in the reference year that were still in the valid stock by the end of the year were also included in the in flows.
• Emigration: Includes third-country nationals previously been granted protection status who have been resettled, repatriated or relocated during the reference year. As of reference year 2022 all first applicants for asylum who had their application rejected, withdrawn or deemed inadmissable are also being included as out flows of the population.

Residence Permits:

• Immigration of TCNs is calculated based on residence permits available in the database managed by the Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs. Estimates in the reference year are calculated based on the date of entry and the accumulated duration of permit/s validity in line with the intended 12 months criteria for Usual Residence. 
• Emigration of TCN includes persons whose permit has not been extended and who were considered residents of the population based on the Usual Residence definition. The data is extracted from the resident permits database which is managed by the Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs.

Not applicable.

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