INSTAT, Institute of Statistics

Short-term Statistics Unit, Directory of  Economic Statistics

Vllazën Huta street, Building 35, Entrance 1, Tirana, Albania, ZIP Code, 1017

The Labour Input indicators are quarterly Short-term indicators. The main source for Labour input data is the Quarterly Survey of Short-term Statistics.

Short-term Statistics (STS) give information on a wide range of economic activities of enterprises, selected by the Statistical Business Register and classified according to the nomenclature NACE Rev.2 classification (Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community) that operate in our country. The required variables for the topic “Labour inputs” in European statistics are:

• Employment: Number of employees and self-employed persons
• Hours worked: Hours worked by employees
• Labour costs: Wages and salaries

Indicators produced by sector, are as follows: 

INDUSTRY   

• Employment: Number of persons employed and number of persons employees  
• Labour costs: Gross Wages and salaries  

CONSTRUCTION   

• Employment: Number of persons employed and number of persons employees  
• Labour costs: Gross Wages and salaries  

RETAIL TRADE  

• Employment: Number of persons employed and number of persons employees  
• Labour costs: Gross Wages and salaries  

OTHER SERVICES  

• Employment: Number of persons employed and number of persons employees  
• Labour costs: Gross Wages and salaries  

Statistical classification of economic activities, (NACE Rev. 2).

Short-Term Statistics cover all active enterprises in the Republic of Albania which operates under the following economic activity: 

• INDUSTRY  

Indicators in this sector cover economic activities listed in sections B to E of NACE Rev.2.  

B - Mining and Quarrying covers economic activities listed in codes 05-09  

C - Manufacturing covers economic activities listed in codes 10-33  

D - Electricity, gas, steam covers economic activities listed in code 35  

E - Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities covers economic activities listed in codes 36-39

• CONSTRUCTION  

Indicators in this sector covers economic activities listed in sections F of NACE Rev.2.

F - Construction covers economic activities listed in codes 41-43

• RETAIL TRADE  

Indicators in this sector cover economic activities listed in sections G of NACE Rev.2.  

G - Retail trade covers economic activities listed in codes 47.11 to 47.78

G - Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles covers economic activities listed in code 45  

G - Wholesale covers economic activities listed in code 46  

• OTHER SERVICES

H - Transport and storage covers economic activities listed in codes 49 to 53 

• Railway transport covers economic activities listed in code 49  
• Maritime transport covers economic activities listed in code 50  
• Air transport covers economic activities listed in code 51  
• Warehousing and support activities for transportation covers economic activities listed in code 52 
• Postal and courier activities covers economic activities listed in code 53

I - Accommodation and food service activities covers economic activities listed in code 55.10 and 56

• Hotel covers economic activities listed in code 55.10
• Bar and restaurants covers economic activities listed in code 56

J - Information and communication covers economic activities listed in codes  58, 61 and 62 

• Publishing activities covers economic activities listed in code 58  
• Telecommunications covers economic activities listed in code 61  
• Computer programming, consultancy and related activities covers economic activities listed in code 62  

M - Architectural and engineering activities covers economic activities listed in code 71

N - Travel agency covers economic activities listed in code 79

Number of persons employed 

It is the objective of the index of number of persons employed to show the development of employment. The number of persons employed is defined as the total number of persons who work in the observation unit (inclusive of working proprietors, partners working regularly in the unit and unpaid family workers), as well as persons who work outside the unit who belong to it and are paid by it (e.g. sales representatives, delivery personnel, repair and maintenance teams). 

Number of persons employees  

It is the objective of the index of number of person’s employees to show the development of employment. The number of employees is defined as those persons who work for an employer and who have a contract of employment and receive compensation in the form of wages, salaries, gratuities, piecework pay or remuneration. 

Wages and salaries  

It is the objective of the wages and salaries index to approximate the development of the wage and salaries bill. Wages and salaries are defined as the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable to all persons counted on the payroll (including home workers), in return for work done during the accounting period, regardless of whether it is paid on the basis of working time, output or piecework and whether it is paid regularly.

The observation unit is the Enterprise. 

Statistical population includes statistical units, enterprises, which operate in economic activities according to NACE Rev. 2, Industry (sections B, C, D and E, respectively divisions 05-39); Construction (section F, divisions 41-43); Trade (section G, divisions 45-47); Services (section H, divisions 49-53, section I, division 55.10, and 56, section J, divisions 58, 61 and 62, section M, division 71, section N, division 79).The enterprises with 1-9 employed are surveyed by sample survey, whereas the enterprises with 10 and more employed are surveyed exhaustively.

Labour Input statistics covers the whole territory of Albania.

Activities outside the geographical coverage are not included in the data.

Quarterly Short-term Statistics survey referred to Labor Input statistics date from 2003 onwards.

Base year: 2015 = 100, applied starting in the first quarter of 2019.

For reference year 2023, Eurostat publishes indices, also, with base year 2021 (2021 = 100) for Albania.

Measurement unit are Indices, percentage changes (%)

The information collected and elaborated by STS refers to quarterly periods. This report is based on reference year 2023.

The legal basis on which STS indicators are based consist on:

• National Statistical Law
• Official Statistics National Program 2022-2026

 Classifications and definitions according to relevant EU regulations:

• Regulation (EU) 2019/2152
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197

From the first quarter of 2018 data for main indicators, such as Labour input indicators are transmitted regularly to EUROSTAT.

Data are considered strictly confidential and are used only for statistical and research purposes based on national Statistical Law No.17/2018 “On Official Statistics”, date 10.03.2018 (accessible in the link: http://www.instat.gov.al/media/3972/law-no17-2018-on-official-statistics.pdf), and on national Law No.9887, date 10.03.2008 “Personal Data Protection” (accessible in the link:https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=09000016806aef6d). Article 31 on national Statistics Law reads as follows: Data collected for the production of official statistics shall be treated by INSTAT as confidential and shall be used only in aggregated tables that will not identify the source information unit. Direct identification means when a statistical unit is directly identified from its name or address or any officially allocated and commonly known identification number. When data processing is made in a manner that allows the identification of the data subject, the data should immediately be encrypted in order for the subjects to be no longer identifiable.

Albanian Institute of Statistics protects and does not disseminate data it has obtained or it has access to, which enable the direct or indirect identification of the statistical units. Albania Institute of Statistics takes all appropriate preventive measures so as to render impossible the identification of individual statistical units by technical or other means that might reasonably be used by a third party. Statistical data that could potentially enable the identification of the statistical unit are disseminated by Albania Institute of Statistics if and only if:

a) These data have been treated, as it is specifically set out in the Regulation, in such a way that their dissemination does not prejudice statistical confidentiality or

b) The statistical unit has given its consent, without any reservations, for the disclosure of data.

The confidential data that are transmitted to Albania Institute of Statistics are used exclusively for statistical purposes and the only persons who have the right to have access to these data are the personnel engaged in this task. Issues referring to the observance of statistical confidentiality are examined by the staff working in Albania Institute of Statistics. The responsibilities of this staff are to recommend on:  which detailed level the statistical data can be disseminated, so as the identification, either directly or indirectly, of the surveyed statistical unit is not possible; the anonymization criteria for the microdata provided to users; the access granting to researchers on confidential data for scientific purposes.

Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on the website. The announcements and delays are per-announced in this calendar. In the case of delays, the date of the next publication and the explanation of the reasons for the delays are specified.

The calendar of publications is available on INSTAT website.

In accordance with article 34 of national Law No. 17/2018 "On Official Statistics" (accessible in the link: http://www.instat.gov.al/media/3972/law-no17-2018-on-official-statistics.pdf), official statistics are disseminated so that all users have an immediate and equal right and all possible forms of media are used. INSTAT and statistical agencies, having in the program the responsibilities of dissemination, seek to meet every requirement of any organization or individual for unpublished data or specific analysis. The following dissemination channels are used to release the results:

• Website – online release
• Written requests
• Special publications
• Data request, section available for external users

The Labour input indicators are transmitted quarterly to Eurostat and disseminated quarterly to national users.

According to the calendar of publications, press release regarding to Short-term Statistics (Labour input indicators) is published quarterly. The format of press release is defined by publication sector, as well as the date of release. Press releases of STS (Labour input indicators) are published online at INSTAT’s website. 

Press release is published in INSTAT’s website, under sub-theme: Short Term Statistics.

All the information is available in both Albanian and English language. Since 2011, the information is provided to external users in web through the Pc-Axis system. A short methodological explanation exists also in the web page. You can access the database on the section: https://databaza.instat.gov.al:8083/pxweb/en/DST/

Databases at micro level are not published due to confidentiality reasons. Aggregated data is the only type of data that is provided to external users. Even though the micro data are not published they can be accessed based on the article 31, point 7 of the national Law No. 17/2018, dated 17.04.2018 “On official statistics” (accessible in the link: http://www.instat.gov.al/media/3972/law-no17-2018-on-official-statistics.pdf).

Users can send other specific requests through a dedicated section for Contacts.

A short explanation related to the definitions of the main concepts and methodological explanations are provided to users in the end of press releases and publications. Additional support information is given to internal users when needed or required. Also the Methodological notes are published at INSTAT’s website.

The Short-Term Statistics unit document all the STS work processes and procedures only for internal purposes. 

INSTAT is committed to ensure the highest quality with respect to the compilation of statistical information. In accordance with national Statistical Law No.17/2018 “On Official Statistics” (accessible in the link: http://www.instat.gov.al/media/3972/law-no17-2018-on-official-statistics.pdf), INSTAT use statistical methods and processes in compliance with internationally recognized scientific principles and standards conduct ongoing analyses of the statistics with a view to quality improvements and ensure that statistics are as up to-date. In performing its tasks it follows the general principles of quality management from the European Statistics Code of Practice. INSTAT declares that it takes into account the following principles: impartiality, quality of processes and products, user orientation, employee orientation, effectiveness of statistical processes, reducing the workload for respondents.  

Quality controls and validation of data are actions carried out throughout the process. The staff is involved in different stages of index calculation, such as the data collection, data control, data input and other necessary control are all well trained. This helps the staff to know the enterprises and their responsibilities and keep an updated collaboration.

A comparison is made with data of previous year to see if there is any data coherence or if there were major changes. 

Users of STS (Labour Input indicators) are classified as external and internal.

External users are:

• Ministries and public administrations that use these data for economic and social policy planning purposes.
• Universities (professors/graduated and post graduate students), research organizations.
• National and international NGOs.
• Enterprises
• General public which gets the information via mass media through publications made by Statistical Office.

Internal users are those within the institution of INSTAT.

• National Account Directory
• Statistical Business Register
• Employment and wages Sector

Page Views (Hits) about Short-term Statistics in 2023 are around 9.580 clicks.

During 2023 INSTAT conducted User Satisfaction Survey concerning INSTAT publications. The survey results show that the overall quality of Short-term Statistics is rated 3.90 (78.0%) on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good).

INSTAT organizes every year the User Satisfaction Survey that for 2023 is only available in Albanian.

Short-term Statistics on their completeness are built in accordance with Eurostat regulations. The degree of data completeness about Labour input indicators, for the survey of STS 2023 is 70.6%. This calculation is based by taking into account the ratio of requirements met by INSTAT (about Labour input indicators) to what is required by European regulations.

Overall, the data are checked with previous years and previous quarter to identify any significant changes.

The sampled population of STS 2023 includes approximately 11,500 enterprises that are surveyed each quarter. Sampling design is stratified simple random sampling. Criteria used for stratification is the number of employees according to the NACE Rev. 2 in 3-digit level.

Calculating the estimates of statistical data and analysis evaluating outliers are done regularly. The overall accuracy rate is high, considering the high response rate. To calculate the estimates, Horvitz-Thompson estimator is used, that is unbiased. The accuracy of the estimates is reached by eliminating sampling errors and non-sampling errors, such as coverage, non-response, response mistakes and processing errors.

Coverage errors reasons are: misclassification of units and changes in state of reporting units. In case of non-response, units are contacted by telephone and email. The sampling error in percent (CV) is calculated for main indicators of survey that are published every quarter.

Sampling error is treated in the internal technical reports, where, for main indicators in survey we calculate the total variance and relative standard errors, to eliminate the negative effect of NACE activity changed in STS time series. All indicator values are weighted to represent the population.

Non-sampling errors in the Labour Input indicators are mainly due to non-response error. Unit non-response takes in consideration enterprises that are unable or unwilling to give the answers or when interviewers are unable to find the enterprises address, or when other barriers exist to complete the interview.

Hence, the Short-Term Statistics unit make use of administrative data and good estimation techniques where needed.

Results of Labour Input statistics 2023 are published on INSTAT website 78 days after the end of the reference period (T+ 78 days). The reference period of these results is December 31st, 2023.

The data of Labour Input are disseminated according to the publication calendar. The publication of Labour Input has been punctuality in time to 100% of publications carried out over the years.

The data related to the indicators of STS, such as Labour input indicators are prepared in accordance with Eurostat methodology and as such are comparable at international level. These data are comprehensive and produced at the country level.

Over the years Quarterly Survey of Enterprises in STS has undergone changes in coverage and in the method of choice. Quarterly Survey of Enterprises has started for the first time in 2003. In 2005 it added Wholesale trade activity. In 2008 the sampling method passed by listing methods in combined method (with sampling and listing). Enterprises with 1-9 employees are sampling, while enterprises with over than 10 employees are choose with listing (so exhaustive) without changing the scope of coverage. In 2012 the population of the Quarterly Survey of Enterprises changes as a result of updating the Register of Enterprises with the results of the Economic Enterprises Census 2010.

In 2014 in STS  implemented nomenclature of economic activities, NACE Rev. 2, updated of the weights and changing the structure of the base period of the indices from 2005 to 2010.

In 2019, in STS the weights structure is updated and the basic index period changes from 2010 to 2015. All these changes in the indices series are not disconnected, but the indices are back casted. These changes are reported in the methodological explanations that accompany respective publications.

Short-term Statistics data by quarters according to NACE Rev. 2 Economic Activity Classification date back to 2006 referring to the statistical database providing a time comparability of 18 years (CC2 = Jlast-Jfirst + 1 = 18).

The data are constantly checked to ensure their comparability over time.

Data is cross checked against administrative sources on quarterly basis. After these checks it can be concluded that the data is coherent.

The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized. The links between variables are checked and coherence between different data series confirmed. Short-term Statistics specialists work together with relevant departments to ensure consistency and coherence of statistical indicators.

STS cost includes information on the permanent and temporary number of the staff. STS number of staff are as following:

• Total staff in Central Office 1 employees;
• Logistics specialists 1 employees;
• Controllers (four months) 9 employees;
• Operators (four months) 9 employees;
• Enumerators (four months) 144 employees.

Administrative data are transmitted to INSTAT without cost, based on Memorandum of Cooperation between INSTAT, DPT and QKR. Other sources are considered BR, previous STS, etc. STS staff manages the control and analysis of data, so these two processes have no additional cost.

The same revision policy is applied to national releases and transmissions to Eurostat.

The STS review policies are made in accordance with the revision policy and the policy of errors treatments set by INSTAT. For more information refer to:

• Revision Policy
• The Errors Treatment Policy

Published data are not considered final; they may be revised. Data are revised in the whole range or for other reasons such as: Implementation of the new NACE classification, methodological changes, new information or data improvements and error correction. Revision of the previous quarter is possible during each quarter and adjustments can be made at the end of each year for the four quarters.

During 2023 the Labor Input data has not been revised. No numeric values are available for MR and MAR indicators.

Data are based on quarterly statistical surveys and administrative source. The basis of selection is the Register of active enterprises for the reference year. Classification of enterprises is done according to the Nomenclature of Economic Activities, NACE Rev. 2. Frame population is determined by two basic criteria: Size of enterprise (based on number of employed) and economic activity in scope, with cut-off. The method of selection used is Stratified Simple Random Sampling (SRS). Stratification is based on a combination of economic activity with size group of the enterprise. Indicators are presented for economic activities according to the areas specified in the STS regulation and also based on user needs.

Quarterly.

During 2023, data were provided in a combined way through administrative sources and through questionnaires for the part not covered by the administrative source. In 2023 was made the change of data collection from paper questionnaire to the CAPI method. The duration of this survey is 10 working days. 

Data received from survey and from Social Insurance file are validated using logical validation rules.

At national level, editing involves studying data from respondents with the aim of identifying (and eventually correcting) errors. Not all errors can be identified and the aim is to detect the errors that have a significant influence on the results.

Rules to assist in identifying errors may flag possible errors that require further investigation to determine where there really is an error as opposed to an unusual result or they may identify definite errors. Editing involves checks for completeness, that values are within given ranges and that values for related variables are coherent. Data editing may take place during or after data entry.

Responses can be compared to the response of previous quarters. Inconsistency or large deviations (outside of a pre-established range) indicate that a closer look is desirable. This may result in data editing. In the context of timeliness, the editing process may be designed to give top priority to those outliers that are most in need of editing for the sake of reliable aggregates. By solving the worst cases, large improvements can be achieved.

National level

First step is collecting information from administrative data and direct interviews. The purpose is to bring this information to the statistic level. This process follows:

• Logical control of information collected through interviews (control of logical marked of responses indicators and control of accurate values).
• After data entry process, errors and inconsistencies are identified and corrected during editing process.
• Comparability phase (collected data with previous periods data or trends).
• Analysis of results for each domain of publication
• Completed results are used for weight and re-weight phase
• The aggregated data are compared to other data sources
• The last two phases can be subject to other analysis used for publication domain.

When statistical analysis is finished, these data are determined as a group of non-public information. Before releasing the results, very important matter is the confidentiality of this information.

Not applicable. No adjustments are made to the employment, gross wages and salaries indicators. 

This metadata file brings together all the labour variables (employment, and wages and salaries) of all the STS domains (Industry, Construction, Retail trade and Services).