Since 1983 labour force surveys (LFS) are conducted annually in all European Union (EU) member states. The LFS serve as a basis for internationally compatible (in terms of definition and survey method) data on employment and unemployment for the European Commission. In Austria the LFS is conducted fully annually. Central questions for the assessment of the number of employed and unemployed persons (and as a result for the calculation of the unemployment rate according to international standards) are in addition (since 1994) asked quarterly in the Mikrozensus standard survey. In Austria (as well as in several other states) the LFS is only conducted among the population in private households; people who live in institutions (retirement homes, boarding homes, and the like) are not included in the survey (the Mikrozensus special surveys are not conducted in institutional households due to organisational problems and problems with performing the surveys there). Because of a major reform of the Labour Force Survey the special survey program isn’t available 4.quarter 2003.

Probability: Stratified: Disproportional

Face-to-face interview