The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a large-scale, nationwide survey of households in Ireland conducted by the Central Statistics Office. It is designed to produce quarterly labour force estimates that include the official measure of employment and unemployment in the state (ILO basis). This survey replaced the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) from Q3 2017. The QNHS began in September 1997, replacing the annual April Labour Force Survey (LFS). Each quarter the LFS produces data among others on: Numbers unemployed Persons in employment Labour force participation rates Inactive population (not in the labour force) Sectoral breakdown (Nace Rev. 2) of those in employment Breakdown of headline data by age, sex and region Persons in employment classified by occupation Seasonally adjusted headline series Data on family composition New Regulatory framework from January 2021 The survey meets the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 October 2019. This is a new framework regulation governing the production of European Statistics on persons and households (Integration European Social Statistics framework regulation – IESS FR) which came into force on 1 January 2021. The IESS FR regulation replaces Council Regulation (EC) No. 577/98, adopted in March 1998 and covers various domains of social statistics including labour market statistics. It aims to ensure that social statistics based on sample surveys such as the Labour Force Survey (LFS), are produced in a more harmonised and coordinated manner across Europe.

Probability: Simple random, Probability: Stratified: Proportional A new sample based on the 2011 Census of Population was selected for the LFS and this was introduced incrementally from Q1 2016. The sample is stratified using administrative county and the Pobal HP (Haase and Pratschke) Deprivation Index. A two-stage sample design is used. In the first stage 1,300 blocks are selected using Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling. In the second stage households are selected using Simple Random Sampling (SRS). This ensures each household in the sample frame has an equal probability of selection. To account for the additional attrition resulting from the introduction of mixed mode data collection, the LFS sample was increased incrementally from Q3 2017. An additional 1,300 households were included in Wave 1 for each quarter up to Q3 2018 and this has resulted in a total sample of 32,500 from Q3 2018 onwards. The actual achieved sample varies over time depending on the level of response. A new sample based on the 2016 Census of Population was introduced on a phased basis (over five quarters) from Q2 2019 and will be fully operational by Q2 2020. As with the expiring sample, the new sample is stratified using administrative county and the Pobal HP (Hasse and Pratschke) Deprivation Index and consists of 32,500 households per quarter. Households are asked to take part in the survey for five consecutive quarters and are then replaced by other households in the same block. Thus, one fifth of the households in the survey are replaced each quarter and the QNHS/LFS sample involves an overlap of 80% between consecutive quarters and 20% between the same quarter in consecutive years. It is important to note that there is no overlap in sample between the QNHS and the LFS. The survey results are weighted to agree with population estimates broken down by age, sex and region and are also calibrated to nationality control totals. The LFS results also contain a non-response adjustment to make the results from the achieved sample representative of the target sample and the population. The population estimates for April of each year are published in a separate release. New samples, both based on the 2011 Census of Population, were introduced incrementally for the QNHS in Q4 2012 and in Q3 2016. The former was stratified using administrative county and population density while the latter was stratified using administrative county and the Pobal HP (Haase and Pratschke) Deprivation Index. The quarterly sample in each case was 26,000 households. The actual achieved sample varied over time depending on the level of response.

Face-to-face interview: CAPI/CAMI

Telephone interview: CATI