Provision of microdata for academic research

Academic researchers may apply for access to the datasets of the Population Census/By-censuses, the General Household Survey, the Household Expenditure Survey or birth, death and marriage records to support the conduct of socio-economic studies.  The datasets must be used for academic research purposes only.  All records in the datasets have been thoroughly screened to ensure that particulars of individual households and persons cannot be identified.  Specifically, all record identifiers (such as name and address of individual respondents) have been removed and other information has been suitably coded. 

An academic researcher may apply for the access to the aforesaid datasets to the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) through the management of the academic institution to which the researcher belongs.  Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, having regard to such factors as the nature of the study, data relevance and precision, and data confidentiality requirements.  If an application is approved, the researcher and the management of the academic institution must sign an undertaking with C&SD that requires the researcher to comply with various conditions in using the datasets. 

Academic researchers are welcomed to enquire the application arrangement for provision of microdata under different surveys/topics.  The contact information is: