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.
State Statistical Office of the Republic of Macedonia
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Sector of Social Statistics, Department for Education
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
State Statistical Office, Dame Gruev 4, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
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
20 April 2026
2.2. Metadata last posted
20 April 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
20 April 2026
3.1. Data description
The Continuing Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) collects information on enterprises’ investment in the continuing vocational training of their staff. Continuing vocational training (CVT) refers to education or training measures or activities which are financed in total or at least partly by the enterprise (directly or indirectly). Part financing could include the use of work-time for the training activity as well as financing of training equipment.
Information available from the CVTS is grouped around the following topics:
Provision of CVT courses and other forms of CVT (training/non-training enterprises)
CVT strategies
Participants in CVT courses
Costs of CVT courses
Time spent in CVT courses
Characteristics of CVT courses
Assessment of CVT activities
The CVTS also collects some information on initial vocational training (IVT).
The statistical unit for CVTS 6 is the enterprise.
The enterprise definition is compliant with Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93.
3.6. Statistical population
CVTS 6 covers enterprises with 10 or more persons employed belonging to certain NACE categories.
The total population covered is 5592 enterprises (target population).
Variable A2tot (persons employed) refers to 31 December 2020.
3.7. Reference area
All the parts of the country are included.
3.8. Coverage - Time
 2015, 2020
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number, EUR.
The reference year for CVTS 6 is the calendar year 2020.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
At European level
Basic legal act: Regulation (EC) No 1552/2005 of the European Parliament and the Council
Implementing act: Commission Regulation (EU) No 1153/2014, amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 198/2006
At national level
The Law on State Statistics ("Official Gazette of Republic of Macedonia" no. 54/97, 21/07, 51/11, 104/13, 42/14, 192/15, 27/16, 83/18 and 220/18 and "Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia" no. 31/20) and the Program for statistical research for the period 2018-2022
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The National Statistics Act has clear provisions regarding the observance of statistical confidentiality. It explicitly defines that dissemination of collected data by the Office to the users shall be carried out in such a way that the reporting unit involved cannot be identified. The commitment for the observance of statistical confidentiality, signed by all employees, has a legal basis and it stipulates that in compliance with the law persons employed by the Office or by authorized producers, and persons who occasionally perform certain business for them on the basis of a closed contract and who know the contents of personal and individual data and data on reporting units must maintain and protect such data as confidential. This obligation shall continue also after the termination of employment or after the contract has been terminated. The primary goal is to protect and ensure the integrity, availability, usability, accessibility and confidentiality of information and data. The sectorial policy defining the protection of statistical data are the Rules on the Protection of Data Collected through the Programme of Statistical Surveys.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Statistical disclosure control methods are applied to minimize the risk of disclosure of information given by respondents and to protect the confidentiality of statistical units.
8.1. Release calendar
All releases are pre-announced and are available on the day of the publication. Releases of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Macedonia become available on working days at 12 am. The release calendar is available online and enables searching for the titles of already published and announced releases.
The State Statistical Office of the Republic of Macedonia provides access to official statistical data to all users. The latest statistical data are published in the "First Release" and/or in the "Electronic Release" (in the MAKSTAT Database) every workday at 12 am on the date announced in advance in the Release Calendar. They are published in both Macedonian and English. Statistical data are published in aggregated form only. Statistical data that are not published on the website, e.g. additional data, more detailed data or data structured differently, are available to users upon request.
The MakStat Database: Education and Science, Lifelong learning, Continuing vocational education and training: MakStat database
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not applicable.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Access to microdata is only possible for research purposes. In enabling this, we take care of statistical confidentiality and personal data protection.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Statistical data that are not published on the website, e.g. additional data, more detailed data or data structured differently, are available to users upon request. They can request the data in the following ways: via a form, by e-mail, by phone or by visiting of the State Statistical Office. The data on the website are available free of charge.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Documentation on methodology is not published on the website.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Quality management for CVTS 6 is ensured through documented procedures covering all stages of the statistical production process. The survey was implemented in accordance with the methodological guidelines and validation rules provided by Eurostat. Data were collected electronically via a web-based questionnaire, which included built-in logical and consistency checks. All procedures for data processing, validation, non-response treatment and weighting followed the Eurostat guidelines and are documented to ensure transparency and reproducibility of the results.
11.1. Quality assurance
In performing its tasks, the State Statistical Office of the Republic of Macedonia follows the general principles of quality management, the European Statistics Code of Practice and the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. In line with this, it strictly adheres to the following principles: professional independence, process orientation, quality of products and services, improvement planning, stimulating working environment, official statistics friendly to data providers, and user-oriented official statistics.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The survey was carried out according to the methodological guidelines and the accompanying instruments provided by Eurostat (CVTS standard questionnaire, CVTS manual, classifications, codebook, checking rules etc.). Overall data quality can be considered as satisfactory, having in mind the conditions which marked the whole survey process (high impact of COVID-19 pandemic and uncertain situation in which many enterprises found themselves).
The most problematic variables were B5aflag, B5a, B5bflag, B5b and C7a to C7d. Enterprises found financial questions (total labour costs, total numbers of hours work, other costs...) very time consuming. There were also some difficulties how to qualify different training courses: as CVT courses or other forms of CVT. However, for any doubt the respondents had been contacted for clarification or confirmation.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
All known user needs are met.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The State Statistical Office regularly monitors satisfaction and needs of its users via various channels, with various techniques, tools and approaches that help improve the products and services intended for users.
12.3. Completeness
All needed statistics are available.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Given the circumstances (COVID-19 pandemic), CVTS 6 data can be considered to be within the limits of acceptability.
13.2. Sampling error
Stratification was done according 20 groups of economic activity and 3 size classes according to persons employed, in total 60 stratification groups. In each group, simple random sampling method was used to select the sampling units from the frame (business register). Analysis of each strata was made, and Neyman allocation was used for designing the sample.
Design weights were adjusted due to non-response and then weights were calculated as division of number of enterprises in the frame, in each strata by number of units of sample in the same strata. Weights due to non-response were calculated as number of units of the sample in strata h divided by number of responses plus number of ineligible units in strata h.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
See table 13.2.1 "Sampling errors - indicators" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3. Non-sampling error
See 13.3.1 - 13.3.5 below.
13.3.1. Coverage error
See table 13.3.1 "Coverage error" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
See table 13.3.1.1 "Over-coverage - rate" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
We tried to minimalize measurement errors in a way that we used an online questionnaire. There were rules included, and errors needed to be eliminated before continuing with the questionnaire. Sometimes enterprises put a fictitious number (for example "1") for C7A to C7D or for C1TOT because they had difficulties collecting the real number. There were not many cases but we used additional criteria to recognize these cases and we called the enterprises to get the real number. When this was not possible, we imputed the data.
13.3.3. Non response error
Different tools to reduce unit non-response were used (two reminders after the deadline for reporting, phone contacts if reporting units didn't respond to the reminders).
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
See table 13.3.3.1 "Unit non-response - rate" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
See table 13.3.3.2 "Item non-response - rate" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3.4. Processing error
There were no processing errors.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
The State Statistical Office of North Macedonia adjusts its data release in accordance with European standards for timeliness. The data are published within the stipulated deadlines.
The data are available to users (researchers, institutions, the public) without delay and according to the previously published release calendar.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
A press release for continuing vocational training in business entities was released on 26 April 2017.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Tables with final results were published in the MakStat database in November 2017.
14.2. Punctuality
Countries should transmit data to Eurostat no later than 18 months after the end of the reference year.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
There are no deviations from CVTS 6 concepts and definitions or deviations from the CVTS 6 questionnaire.
Some additional variables/information related to COVID-19 were collected, see table 15.1 "Comparability - geographical" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
All data are comparable.
See table 15.2 "Comparability - over time" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
CVTS 6 is comparable with the previous wave, namely with CVTS 5.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Some coverage differences between SBS and CVTS are observed.
See table 15.3 "Coherence - cross-domain" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
CVTS results for a given reference year are based on the same microdata and results are calculated using the same estimation methods, therefore the data are internally coherent.
Number of reporting units that had to fill in the questionnaires: 2 500 (gross sample)
Number of reporting units that submitted the data: 1 608 (net sample)
Cooperation of the reporting units was mandatory. For CVTS 6 we prepared an online questionnaire. We estimate that the burden has decreased. Administrative sources are effectively used.Â
17.1. Data revision - policy
Not applicable.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not applicable.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1 "Source data and data collection" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Every 5 years.
18.3. Data collection
When we prepared the gross sample, we launched an online survey. We included logical and other controls to minimize errors. Non-response was regularly monitored and we encouraged enterprises to respond and send the questionnaire. We also provided additional help to respondents when needed.
See also table 18.1 "Source data and data collection" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
18.4. Data validation
The survey was conducted electronically through eStat which also included logical controls.
18.5. Data compilation
We used data editing, imputation and non-response weighting. After entering the data, we edited them according to Eurostat validation rules, the codebook and our logical controls. Then the imputation was made where we knew that some data were not correct (information from the response units). After that we made some editing especially where sums did not match. The weighting procedure was determined based on the sample design and unit non-response. The final weight of the unit is thus the product of the weight due to the probability of selecting the units and the weight due to non-response.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
See table 18.5.1 "Imputation - rate" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
The Continuing Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) collects information on enterprises’ investment in the continuing vocational training of their staff. Continuing vocational training (CVT) refers to education or training measures or activities which are financed in total or at least partly by the enterprise (directly or indirectly). Part financing could include the use of work-time for the training activity as well as financing of training equipment.
Information available from the CVTS is grouped around the following topics:
Provision of CVT courses and other forms of CVT (training/non-training enterprises)
CVT strategies
Participants in CVT courses
Costs of CVT courses
Time spent in CVT courses
Characteristics of CVT courses
Assessment of CVT activities
The CVTS also collects some information on initial vocational training (IVT).
The statistical unit for CVTS 6 is the enterprise.
The enterprise definition is compliant with Council Regulation (EEC) No 696/93.
CVTS 6 covers enterprises with 10 or more persons employed belonging to certain NACE categories.
The total population covered is 5592 enterprises (target population).
Variable A2tot (persons employed) refers to 31 December 2020.
All the parts of the country are included.
The reference year for CVTS 6 is the calendar year 2020.
Given the circumstances (COVID-19 pandemic), CVTS 6 data can be considered to be within the limits of acceptability.
Number, EUR.
We used data editing, imputation and non-response weighting. After entering the data, we edited them according to Eurostat validation rules, the codebook and our logical controls. Then the imputation was made where we knew that some data were not correct (information from the response units). After that we made some editing especially where sums did not match. The weighting procedure was determined based on the sample design and unit non-response. The final weight of the unit is thus the product of the weight due to the probability of selecting the units and the weight due to non-response.
See table 18.1 "Source data and data collection" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
Every 5 years.
The State Statistical Office of North Macedonia adjusts its data release in accordance with European standards for timeliness. The data are published within the stipulated deadlines.
The data are available to users (researchers, institutions, the public) without delay and according to the previously published release calendar.
There are no deviations from CVTS 6 concepts and definitions or deviations from the CVTS 6 questionnaire.
Some additional variables/information related to COVID-19 were collected, see table 15.1 "Comparability - geographical" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
All data are comparable.
See table 15.2 "Comparability - over time" in annex "MK - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
