Zensus Personal interviews of the 2022 Census are drawing to a close

Press release No. 27 of August 8, 2022

WIESBADEN - The personal interviews of the 2022 Census are drawing to a close. Within a period of just under 12 weeks, people have provided answers to the surveys in households and in residential establishments either personally, online, through digital tablet survey, by telephone or on paper. A total of 24.5 million responses have already been received in the 2022 Census. “We are pleased to see that the surveys of the 2022 Census are making good progress”, says Dr. Georg Thiel, President of the Federal Statistical Office. “One of the reasons is the high level of acceptance of the 2022 Census and, especially of online response, shown by the people. We are therefore confident that people will continue their reliable participation in the coming weeks. The interviewers, the municipal authorities and the statistical offices are doing a great job together.”

Personal interviews fill be finished in mid August after a total of 12 weeks
The census interviewers’ task is to finish the personal interviews within 12 weeks after the reference date (15 May 2022). The interviewers visit households personally in the household survey to determine who exactly lives at the addresses selected at random. Roughly three quarters of the respondents answer additional questions, preferably by online questionnaire, after the personal interview.
People who could not be met yet will be interviewed even after the period of 12 weeks. Also, individual cases will still be settled after the 12-week period. The online and paper-based surveys collecting additional data continue.
For a small number of the households already surveyed, an additional follow-up survey is conducted in parallel to the main survey and will be finished by mid November 2022. This survey is held to subsequently assess the quality of the population figures obtained.

The 2022 Census is part of the international round of censuses
Nearly all countries worldwide have conducted, or will conduct a census during the current round of censuses of the United Nations between 2015 and 2024. The United nations recommend holding a population census every ten years. In the European Union (EU), conducting a census every ten years is compulsory. Most EU countries have finished data collection. After the census results have been processed and analysed, they will be forwarded to Eurostat, the European statistical office, by 2024. In Germany, the results of the census will be released in November 2023.

Further information on the 2022 Census and pictures for reproduction are provided 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

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