The new focus of the Federal population census has transformed it into the backbone of an integrated system for household and personal statistics (SHAPE), which combines the use of data from existing administrative registers and sample surveys on people and households. The content, method and organisation of the various surveys will be linked and coordinated with each other. SHAPE takes into account national and international requirements and lightens the burden on interviewees.
The different areas of the Federal population census are being linked to the following surveys which are already available to form a single system:
- The Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS) provides data about the labour market and working life in general. After being harmonised with European statistics, the results are produced quarterly.
- The Household Budget Survey (HBS) provides regular information about the consumption habits and incomes of private households in Switzerland.
- Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) (Statistics on Income and Living Conditions) studies living conditions, the distribution of income, poverty and social exclusion on the basis of indicators that can be compared at European level.
