Press release No. 17 of May 16, 2022

• The surveys of the 2022 Census have started
• 100,000 interviewers will hold personal interviews for three months

• The legal census reference date is 15 May 2022

   

WIESBADEN - The surveys of the 2022 Census have started and will be held from mid-May to around mid-August. The 2022 Census consists of a population census and a census of buildings and housing, providing up-to-date population and housing data. Sunday, 15 May 2022 was the reference date of the census in Germany. This means that all data collected will refer to that date and will therefore be comparable.

A total of over 30 million people will be surveyed in the census
Data collection for the census of buildings and housing, covering roughly 23 million respondents, has started a few days ago and is mainly based on online response. The owners or managers of real property will receive their login details by post from the relevant Land statistical office.
In addition, short personal interviews will be held with slightly over ten percent of the population (roughly 10.3 million people). The personal interviews will start today, 16 May 2022. “Up to 100,000 volunteer interviewers will hold the interviews over the next twelve weeks”, said Katja Wilken, overall project leader of the 2022 Census at the Federal Statistical Office. On the appointed date, the interviewers will show an official interviewer identity card together with an official photo identification. The personal interview will take about five to ten minutes and can be carried out with little contact at the front door.

Main focus is on online participation in the census
About three quarters of the participants will then answer additional questions on topics such as education and occupation. They will receive their login details for the online questionnaire after the personal interview. People who cannot use the online questionnaire may provide their information in a paper questionnaire.

In addition, all those living in residential establishments (about 300,000 people) will be surveyed. In collective living quarters (about 60,000 facilities) such as old people’s homes or refugee accommodation, the management will provide information on behalf of the occupants.

There is an obligation to provide information in the census
Everyone must provide information in the surveys of the census. All those who have been selected for the census are obliged to participate. This is laid down in the 2022 Census Act and is required to achieve the high accuracy and quality of the results needed.

Census results are highly relevant for Germany
The population figures determined by the census are a major basis for many regulations. For example, they are used to set constituency boundaries, organise the distribution of Bundesrat votes and calculate the fiscal equalisation schemes among the Länder and among municipalities. The census also collects data on the residential space, education and working life of the population. The census results are used by political decision-makers at federal, Land and municipal levels and in the European Union as a major data basis for planning.

The documents (factsheet and statement, in German) on the press conference on “2022 Census: start of the surveys” of 16 May 2022, further information on the 2022 Census and pictures for reproduction are available at
www.zensus2022.de. There you will also find sample questionnaires of the 2022 Census surveys. If you are interested, we will be pleased to find you interview partners to discuss census issues.

Follow us on www.twitter.com/zensus2022!

For further information: www.zensus2022.de/contact