Census in Germany from Monday: Mandatory for everyone - that's up to you

Created: 05/16/2022, 06:20

By: Momir Takac

The 2022 census will start in Germany on May 15. Read everything you need to know about the referendum here.

Wiesbaden - Every ten years the time has come.

Germany is taking an inventory.

The 2022 census, also known as the census, starts on May 15th.

Nationwide, more than 30 million citizens are surveyed.

The statistical offices of the federal and state governments want to use this to update data.

How does the census work?

They want to find out how many people live in Germany, how they live and work.

The aim is to create a reliable planning basis for political and economic decisions at federal, state and local level.

Inconsistencies in population registers are also to be corrected.

Whoever is selected at random will be informed by the responsible state statistical office.

This also announces when the personal interviews will take place.

Around 10.3 million people in households are asked about their age or nationality, for example.

This requires a ten-minute personal interview.

Census: Citizens must answer questions about education, occupation, property, age, and nationality

Around three quarters of those surveyed then have to answer questions on the topics of education and work in an online form.

The respondents receive the access data for the online questionnaire after the interview.

Paper questionnaires are only available in exceptional cases.

In addition, around 23 million owners of houses or apartments are surveyed.

You must provide information about the year of construction, size or rent.

This is used, for example, to determine the average size of living space and the vacancy rate.

Census 2022: Participation is mandatory - data will be evaluated anonymously

For the first time in the 2022 census, the net cold rent, duration and reason for a vacancy as well as the energy source of the heating are also queried.

All data is evaluated anonymously so that average values ​​can be calculated.

Those selected must answer questions.

Participation is mandatory by law.

This is regulated in the 2022 census law.

Census 2022: What are the penalties for refusal to provide information?

Anyone who refuses to provide information risks a fine.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, it is 300 euros and can be repeated as often as you like.

Anyone who deliberately provides false information can even be fined 5,000 euros.

In Bavaria, a man chased a census interrogator off his property because he suspected an impostor.

The interviews will start on May 15, 2022 and should be completed by mid-August.

Results are expected to be available from the end of 2023.