Census to collect data on race, sexual orientation and religion for first time

Malta’s 10-year population census to be carried out later this year will for the first time collect information on the individual’s sexual orientation, race and religion.

The exercise will see 1,200 data collectors reaching out to every household over a three-week period in October and November.

It will provide a snapshot of Malta’s demography and dwellings 10 years after the last census was held in 2011.

The exercise targets Maltese citizens and foreigners who would have lived in Malta for the previous 12 months, or intend to live here for at least 12 months.

Data collection will be through booklets distributed to households, online means, telephone or face-to-face, in those cases where the persons require assistance.

Reflecting the demographic changes since the last census, the official website will be in Maltese, English, Italian and French.

The census was officially unveiled today by the National Statistics Office, which is responsible for the 10-year exercise. This will be Malta’s 18th census.

NSO Director General Etienne Caruana said the census will gather information from more than 500,000 people and for more than 250,000 dwellings.

Data collectors and 70 supervisors will be recruited and trained over the coming months.

Caruana said the data gathered will be integrated into a map to provide a geographical spread of the population and dwelling characteristics.

Since the last census, Malta’s population has increased by more than 100,000 and witnessed profound social change.

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said the census will cost €3 million and will provide the country the information necessary to compile policy.

The minister also announced that after the census, a similar formula would be used to carry out a census of labour market skills.

“The skills census will be the first of its kind and will inform the labour market policy, which we will be unveiling later this year,” Caruana said.