Malta Police Force

Immigration Section

Police Headquarters

Immigration Section

Special Branch

Police Headquarters

Police GHQ

Floriana

Malta

1. Introduction

This metadata information is provided by Maltese authorities to ensure compliance with the requirements of Articles 5 and 7 of Regulation 862/2007 on Community Statistics on Migration and International Protection.

As required by Article 9 of the Regulation 862/2007, Member States must report to Eurostat on the data sources used, the reasons for the selection of these sources and the effects of the selected data on the quality of the statistics. Member States shall provide it with all the information necessary to evaluate the quality, comparability and completeness of the statistical information.

The reference terms for the assessment of quality compliance are provided by Eurostat in the EIL technical guidelines applied for 2014 reference period (See section 3.4 Statistical concepts and definitions from the EIL ESMS file).

2. General description of the statistical domain at national level

- EIL National System (level of development, main changes that affected the system in the last years and further development)

Malta has only one airport and one seaport and data from all BCPs arrive centrally at Police GHQ on a regular basis.  This data is distributed internally to staff working in border control and immigration within the police force.  It is kept updated by personnel specifically assigned for this duty.  We have no changes to report to our system.

- Legal national framework relevant for EIL statistics

Regulation 862/2007 is the legal framework and there is no other specific national legislation relevent for EIL statistics. 

- Institutional infrastructure (list of the institutions involved in managing the EIL registers and the institutions involved in the production of the EIL statistics)

Malta Police Force and specifically the BCPs and the field officers who provide the statistics to the headquarters.

- General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens refused entry at the external borders

All TCNs refused entry at the border are registered and this data is sent to headquarters on a  regular basis.  Information is transmitted via internal secure e-mail.

- General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present

All TCNs found illegally present in Malta are referred to the Immigration section.  These are all registered and the data is maintained by the same officers who recieve the data from the BCPs.

- General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens ordered to leave

TCNs are ordered to leave by the Immigration Police at GHQ.  All these are registered and the data is mainatined by the same officers as decribed above.

- General procedure for recording Non-EU citizens returned following an order to leave

Immigration police are responsible to effect returns and all these are recorded and the data in maintained by the same officers as described above.  With regards to assisted voluntary return, this is handled by the Third Country Nationals Unit at the Ministry of Home Affairs.  The data here is maintained by this same unit and requested on an  ad-hoc or annual basis as may be needed by the Immigration police.

3. Main problems that affect the quality of the data and what tables are concerned including the compliance status with the definitions from EIL Technical Guideline

(See metadata information including concepts and definitions from the EIL ESMS file)

No issues to report.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

National systematic process of gathering data for official statistics.

Not available.

Description of the data validation system at national level

Data recieved on a monthly basis is verified and reviewed directly with the BCP or the Immigration authorities who supply it.

Estimations used: Details on the estimations done for EIL statistics (methodology applied and the concerned categories and tables)

We use actual figures and not estimations

Not applicable.

Not available.
New concept added with the migration to SIMS 2.0.
Information (content) will be available after the next collection.

1. Description of the Quality management system at national level

• Good quality (extensive quality) - covers all quality requirements and substantial quality checks are performed and a very good cooperation exists between institutions.
• Sufficient quality (acceptable quality) - covers minimum requirements, but issues still exist and more information/validation is needed for a better quality assessment and acceptable cooperation issues exists.
• Poor quality (inadequate quality) - the data do not meet the minimum requirements or there is not enough information for quality assessment and important cooperation issues exists.

1. General aspects

The statistics collected under the Regulation 862/2007 are widely used in official publications and by a wide range of users at national, European and International level.

Main users of EIL statistics at national level
The EIL statistics produced are regularly used by national administrations: academic researchers and civil society groups working on a wide range of topics including the integration of immigrants, the development and monitoring of national asylum and immigration procedures, and the projection of the future population and labour force.

MHAS (Ministry for Home Affairs and NAaional Security), NSO (National Statistics Office)

Main users of EIL statistics at European and International level
The main users of EIL statistics are Eurostat, DG Home Affairs and EASO [n/a]. The statistics are used in several publications of the Commission, as well as in the preparation of regular reports, policy proposals and analysis . The statistics also provide an input to the EMN studies and reports that address specific issues of current policy importance.

2. EIL data publication at national level

Presentation of the EIL statistics published at national level

National Statistics Office uses EIL data in annual publications.

Differences between the data provided to Eurostat and the data published at national level (Comparability of figures)

Figures are identical as the same set uploaded on Eurostat is referred to NSO.

Statistics are considered to be of a satisfactory level.

Completeness of the data provided based on Articles 5 and 7 Regulation 862/2007 (mandatory data provision) and justification of the missing mandatory breakdowns and completeness of the data provided on voluntary basis.

Not applicable.

Procedures and classifications used in case of missing information (e.g. unknown citizenship, age, etc)

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not available.

[Not requested]

 *target population refers to the population that should be included (as it is specified in technical guidelines)

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

[Not requested]

Details related to the data revision policy and expected revisions of the data sent to Eurostat

All data is revised prior to transmission to Eurostat.  Records are double checked against the data of the original source.

[Not requested]

We have no issues to upload the data in the requested timeframe.

Not available.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Problems with data provision to Eurostat in due time and the impact of these problems on the data quality provided to Eurostat

We do not have such issues of timely data submission at this stage

Not applicable.

1. Provision of data using the Eurostat EIL Technical Guidelines and exceptions applied

We cannot report having any issues at this stage

2. Details on categories of Non-EU citizens difficult to be classified using the reference definitions from EIL technical guidelines and the categories excluded from these reasons (excluded from the statistics reported)

We consider the reference definitions as appropriate

3. Description of records related to "Unknown" country of citizenship category

Not applicable.

4. Description of records related to "Unknown" age category

Not applicable.

5. Description of records related to "Unknown" sex category

Not applicable.

6. Establishing the reported ground in case of “multiple grounds” for the same refusal and the impact on double counting of the person in the same dataset

Not applicable multiple grounds. / It is applied the methodological procedure of "one ground per refused person", as laid down in EIL Technical Guidelines (procedure of "higher” ground overrules the “lower” ground for refusal).

7. Type of "external border" applicable

Sea border and Air border

8. The definition of “refused Non-EU citizens” applied

The Schengen Borders Code's refusal definition is applies for the Statistics reported to Eurostat

9. The correspondence between the national system of “grounds for refusal" classification and Schengen Borders Code classification.

Schengen Borders Code classification is applied.

10. The definition of “Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present” applied

It is considered adequate

11. The definition of “Non-EU citizens ordered to leave” applied

It is considered adequate

12. The definition of “Non-EU citizens returned following an order to leave” applied

It is considered adequate

Not applicable.

Methodological changes between the present reference year and previous year(s)

No changes to report

Justification of the important changes in figures reported for the present reference year and previous year(s)

As from 2012 return decisions started to be issued to tcns found illegally staying when they are exiting the external border.  As a result the figures in this regard increased. 

Not applicable.

1. Links between the statistics on refused Non-EU citizens and the statistics on Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present.

No link noted.

2. Links between the statistics on Non-EU citizens found to be illegally present and the statistics on Non-EU citizens with obligation to leave.

Figures of both should be identical as all those found illegally present are given the obligation to leave.

3. Coherence between the EIL statistics and Asylum statistics

There is no link.

4. Dublin cases included in EIL statistics and the impact on the totals provided 

Dublin cases are not included in EIL statistics.

5. Inclusion of voluntary returned Non-EU citizens in the statistics on Non-EU citizens who actually left the territory 

They are included.

Links between the EIL statistics and Asylum statistics and details related to the asylum applicant(s) case(s) included in EIL statistics. 

There is no such link.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

1. Links and differences between the Non-EU citizens with obligation to leave and Non-EU citizens who actually left the territory

There is a link but the figures can never be identical due to practical problems to effect the repatriation.  One also has to include the fact that some returns effected in a specific year may be of TCNs issued with return decisions in previous years.

2. Links and differences between the Non-EU citizens who actually left the territory and Non-EU citizens who left the territory to a third country

All those who would have left the terriroty would have left to a third country (to a country outside the EU)

The 'World Refugee Day' news release was released on 19 June 2015 and was the first annual national press release published by the National Statistics Office (NSO) containing some EIL data during 2014.
News releases are published on the NSO website and can be found at: http://nso.gov.mt/en/News_Releases/View_by_Unit/Unit_C3/Population_and_Tourism_Statistics/Pages/World-Refugee-Day.aspx

The Demographic Review 2013 was published on 11 August 2015. The Demographic Review is an annual publication which comprises the main demographic events together with migration and miscellaneous statistics.
This publication is available online and can be accessed at: http://nso.gov.mt/en/publicatons/Publications_by_Unit/Pages/C3-Population-and-Tourism-Statistics.aspx

Presentation of the National online national database for EIL data accessible to the public and the accessibility procedure

This publication is available online in electronic format: http://nso.gov.mt/en/publicatons/Publications_by_Unit/Pages/C3-Population-and-Tourism-Statistics.aspx

Not apvailable.

Not applicable.

Not available.

Not available.

Presentation of the available quality management - documentation

Not available.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not available.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The following classification is used for data availability at Eurostat level:

The term "not applicable" relates to the categories of data which do not exist in national legislation/administrative procedures and therefore such statistics cannot be issued.

The term "not available" relates to categories of data that exist in the national legal/administrative system but cannot be delivered under EIL data collection for various reasons (e.g. data cannot exist, data exist but are not collected, data are unreliable, etc.).