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.
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 19 June 2009.
Directive (EU) 2021/1883 was transposed at national level on 17 November 2021.
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
Sweden.
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
The compilation is based on Article 6 of Regulation (EC) 862/2007 of 11 July 2007 which depicts in details the data provisions Sweden are bound to supply Eurostat with.
The Swedish Migration Agency is not a national authority for the national statistics. The Official Statistics Act (2001:99) and the Official Statistics Ordinance (2001:100) are therefore not applicable.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
The Swedish Migration Agency collects information about applicants via various sources. Through investigations and conversations with applicants at the agency´s offices in Sweden and at the embassies abroad. Through electronic applications where applicants fill in information themselves. Through coordination with other national authorities' databases (the Swedish Tax Agency, the Swedish Public Employment Service, Statistics Sweden) and through coordination with international databases (DublinNet, Visa Information System).
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Statistical confidentiality is guaranteed by law, in chapter 24 article 8 in the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (OSL 2009:400) and article 7 in the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Ordinance (OSF 2009:641). The provision refers specifically to secrecy for the protection of individuals.
All staff at Swedish Migration Agency (SMA) sign legal confidentiality commitments stating that they have taken note of the relevant confidentiality provisions. Breaches of confidentiality are punishable by The Swedish Penal Code (1962:7800) in chapter 20 article 3.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
There are physical, technological and organisational provisions in place to protect the security and integrity of the data at SMA. Organisational provisions are laid out according the legislation outlined in chapter 24 article 8 OSL and article 7 in OSF. Microdata are protected by absolute confidentiality by above mentioned articles in OSL and OSF. Only authorised staff, and as few as possible, are given access to sensitive data concerning statistical activities. For access to the statistics systems, there is an eligibility model based on process, role and eligibility. In order to meet the legal requirements of the Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the possibility of gaining access to the operational views have been severely limited for the majority of the staff at the agency.
8.1. Release calendar
The Swedish Migration Agency plans to release a calendar for the statistical outputs in 2025.
8.2. Release calendar access
The Swedish Migration Agency plans to release a calendar for the statistical outputs in 2025.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Not available.
Monthly dissemination at national level and yearly data transmission to Eurostat.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
There is no news release on the residence permits data.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The data is made available to the public on the Swedish Migration Agency´s website Statistik - Migrationsverket. The data is updated monthly.
The definitions of the Eurostat Guidelines on Resper Statistics have been used to compile the data. Additional information on methodology is provided in Annex Eurostat Guidelines on Resper Statistics 2023.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
The definitions of the Eurostat Guidelines on Resper Statistics have been used to compile the data. Additional information on methodology is provided in Annex Eurostat Guidelines on Resper Statistics 2023.
11.1. Quality assurance
Blue cards statistics in Sweden follow RESPER Technical Guidelines 2023.
A new data warehouse has been developed with the aim to significantly increase data quality and data retrieval capabilities.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Blue cards statistics in Sweden follow RESPER Technical Guidelines 2023.
A new data warehouse has been developed with the aim to significantly increase data quality and data retrieval capabilities.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The statistics collected under Directive 2009/50/EC and Directive (EU) 2021/1883 are used by a wide range of users at national, European and International level to cover various usersʼ needs.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User satisfaction not collected.
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
The Swedish Migration Agency has developed a new data warehouse, which generates more quality-assured statistics. The content of the data warehouse is based on information from the central database, but with a logic that makes it easier to handle data for follow-up. In connection with the data warehouse, applications have also been created to make it easier for the business to produce relevant statistics.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The Swedish Migration Agency (SMA) ensures, through manual and automatic tests, that transformations of the data processing sent to Eurostat are correct. The SMA’s statistics are preliminary because the data is not final. The agency continuously revises previously sent out statistics on changes in data. In SMAs central database, in principle, all statistics relating to information about the applicant and their cases are stored and SMA does not use surveys for data collection.
13.3.1. Coverage error
The Swedish Migration Agency does not use surveys for data collection.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
The Swedish Migration Agency bases European statistics on data stored in the agency's central database. The database is based on case and individual information that is registered in the internal processing system. The central database also contains information from other authorities. Since the agency registers information about the applicant and his / her process, from application to decision, the database contains thorough information.
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
The Swedish Migration Agency bases European statistics on data stored in the agency's central database. The database is based on case and individual information that is registered in the internal processing system. The central database also contains information from other authorities. Since the agency registers information about the applicant and his / her process, from application to decision, the database contains thorough information.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Sweden is able to report the data at the earliest 2 days after the end of the reference period.
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
No problems of comparability between regions in Sweden.
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’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Incoherence between sub annual and annual statistical outputs is mainly due to post registrations.
The data history is not “locked”, which means that improvement work is carried out continuously, even on historical data. If definitions change over time, the definitions of historical data also change so that it becomes comparable over time. Statistical data from different data sources and different time periods are compared and adjusted.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Variables pertaining to the individual refer to the most recent registration at the date of data extraction, reporting of the same month can thus vary depending on the date of data extraction.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
No internal incoherence.
Regular statistical reporting and revising to EDAMIS estimated to 20 working days per year. This does not include time to implement changes in guidelines in regular reporting.
Metadata questionnaire estimated to 10 working days involving 2 workers.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Data is revised continuously during the year.
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
Daily.
18.3. Data collection
The information of the applicants is registered, by the case officers, in a case management system and the data is stored in the Swedish Migration Agency´s central database. The sole source for the datasets is the agency´s data warehouse, Simba. Data quality controls is done continuously by test leaders at the IT-department and by the statisticians at the agency.
18.4. Data validation
No such regular national validation process. The act of validation and the extent of it is done at a case by case basis as seen fit by the person extracting the data.
18.5. Data compilation
There are many cases of using several variables in conjecture to group data used on national level.
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 19 June 2009.
Directive (EU) 2021/1883 was transposed at national level on 17 November 2021.
19 November 2024
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’.
Sweden.
Calendar year.
The Swedish Migration Agency has developed a new data warehouse, which generates more quality-assured statistics. The content of the data warehouse is based on information from the central database, but with a logic that makes it easier to handle data for follow-up. In connection with the data warehouse, applications have also been created to make it easier for the business to produce relevant statistics.
Number of persons.
There are many cases of using several variables in conjecture to group data used on national level.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
Monthly dissemination at national level and yearly data transmission to Eurostat.
Sweden is able to report the data at the earliest 2 days after the end of the reference period.
No problems of comparability between regions in Sweden.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
