Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The Office of the Citizenship and Migration Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Migration Division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Ciekurkalna 1. linija 1, k-3, LV-1026, Riga, Latvia
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
18 February 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
18 February 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
20 February 2025
3.1. Data description
Data collection on EU Blue Cards statistics based on EU Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment. The EU Blue Cards statistics is produced under the Directive 2009/50/EC. From 19 November 2023 this directive is replaced by Directive (EU) 2021/1883. The new legal requirements regarding supplementary statistics are applicable starting with 2024 reference period.
The following datasets are collected in 2023 under this framework:
EU Blue Cards by type of decision, occupation and citizenship (migr_resbc1)
Admitted family members of EU Blue Cards holders by type of decision and citizenship (migr_resbc2)
EU Blue Cards holders and family members by Member State of previous residence (migr_resbc3)
Directive 2009/50/EC was transposed at national level on 16 June 2011.
Directive (EU) 2021/1883 was transposed at national level on 01 July 2023.
3.2. Classification system
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Residence permits statistics, EU Blue Cards.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons.
3.6. Statistical population
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
3.7. Reference area
Latvia.
3.8. Coverage - Time
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons.
Calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
This metadata information is provided by the authorities of Latvia to ensure compliance with the Directive 2009/50/EC and the Directive (EU) 2021/1883 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment. As required, 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 Eurostat with all the information necessary to evaluate the quality, comparability and completeness of the statistical information.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA), in order to ensure the confidentiality of statistical information when processing personal data, complies with the requirements laid down in the following regulatory enactments:
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation);
Personal Data Processing Law;
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics and repealing Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1101/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities, Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 on Community Statistics, and Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom establishing a Committee on the Statistical Programmes of the European Communities;
Statistics Law.
OCMA staff has signed a legal confidentiality agreement.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
No specific national rules applied for treating the data.
8.1. Release calendar
Data is not published at the national level. Data is disseminated annually through Eurostat online databases.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Not applicable.
Data is disseminated annually through Eurostat online databases.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Not applicable.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not applicable.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Data is disseminated annually through Eurostat online databases.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not applicable.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not applicable.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not applicable.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not applicable.
11.1. Quality assurance
Compilation of data is following the guidelines and instructions provided by Eurostat. Consistency validation checks are performed.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Quality of provided data is good as it is derived from the Residence Permit Register, which includes all cases.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Users of Eurostat Resper statistics are:
various policy DGs in the European Commission, like DG Migration and Home Affairs,
European Parliament,
national authorities (Ministries of Interior, Ministries of Justice, Ministries of Foreign Affairs),
European Migration Network (EMN),
researchers and students,
journalists and international organisations.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No user satisfaction surveys are conducted.
12.3. Completeness
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Overall high accuracy: The reported statistics measure accurately the target population because the database includes all cases.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not applicable.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Member state of previous residence of BC holders not measured.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not applicable.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data is provided to Eurostat within the requested deadline - within six months after the end of the reference year.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
See table 14.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The statistics are comparable between all regions of Latvia, there is only one national system of accumulating and processing the data.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
There are no sub annual statistics, and the annual Blue Card statistics are comparable over all years.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The statistics are internally coherent, they are produced from one source database.
Not applicable.
17.1. Data revision - policy
No data revision policy.
17.2. Data revision - practice
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annually.
18.3. Data collection
Standard Eurostat templates are used for data collection. Data is derived from the Residence Permit Register according to the selection conditions. All types of residence permits (including EU Blue Cards) issued on the basis of precise article of the Immigration Law. If it is required, additional manual processing is performed to ensure that the data conform to the Eurostat requested breakdown.
18.4. Data validation
Data is checked with the aim to ensure that the population coverage is accurate. The processed results are validated in respect the consistency of a single table and between the tables, as well as yearly data comparison with data of previous periods is performed.
18.5. Data compilation
Data is based on requirements of the Directive 2009/50/EC . Estimation is not used. For each report the required records are extracted, aggregated and counted, and tabulated into the table, all processes are according to the Eurostat guidelines.
Data collection on EU Blue Cards statistics based on EU Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment. The EU Blue Cards statistics is produced under the Directive 2009/50/EC. From 19 November 2023 this directive is replaced by Directive (EU) 2021/1883. The new legal requirements regarding supplementary statistics are applicable starting with 2024 reference period.
The following datasets are collected in 2023 under this framework:
EU Blue Cards by type of decision, occupation and citizenship (migr_resbc1)
Admitted family members of EU Blue Cards holders by type of decision and citizenship (migr_resbc2)
EU Blue Cards holders and family members by Member State of previous residence (migr_resbc3)
Directive 2009/50/EC was transposed at national level on 16 June 2011.
Directive (EU) 2021/1883 was transposed at national level on 01 July 2023.
20 February 2025
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
Number of persons.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
Latvia.
Calendar year.
Overall high accuracy: The reported statistics measure accurately the target population because the database includes all cases.
Number of persons.
Data is based on requirements of the Directive 2009/50/EC . Estimation is not used. For each report the required records are extracted, aggregated and counted, and tabulated into the table, all processes are according to the Eurostat guidelines.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
Data is disseminated annually through Eurostat online databases.
Data is provided to Eurostat within the requested deadline - within six months after the end of the reference year.
The statistics are comparable between all regions of Latvia, there is only one national system of accumulating and processing the data.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
