Door-to-door data collection for the 2021 Population Census was originally scheduled for 7 to 21 August. However, such activity was postponed due to an epidemic-related development in the city.

The Population Census is designed to reach in principle every household in either a residential or other type of accommodation unit, and to collect demographic information on all individuals.

After consultation with the Health Bureau, and after implementation of epidemic-prevention measures, field visits by Census officers started from 23 August.

A total of 800 Census officers has been assigned to visit and collect information from circa 98,000 households that had not responded to the Population Census questionnaire.

Census officers working in pairs visit the households that have not responded to the Population Census, to conduct an interview with people in those households, and to record the results on a mobile tablet each officer carries. Census officers making such visits can alternatively assist members of such households either to activate access to the online questionnaire, or to schedule a telephone interview appointment.

To ensure safe operation of the Population Census, the Census officers are required to wear a protective face mask when performing their duties, and keep a distance of at least 1 metre from the respondents. Also, the Census officers have to wash their hands with alcohol-based hand rub liquid, and clean the mobile tablets with alcohol-based sanitiser before and after visiting a household.

To ensure safe operation of the Population Census, the Census officers are required to wear a protective face mask when performing their duties, and keep a distance of at least 1 metre from the respondents. Also, the Census officers have to wash their hands with alcohol-based hand rub liquid, and clean the mobile tablets with alcohol-based sanitiser before and after visiting a household.

In cases where householders cannot be contacted, Census officers will leave an appointment card, and a notification letter, for the people to contact the Statistics and Census Service at their earliest convenience.

As an alternative to providing information to the visiting Census officers, households are offered the option of completing the Population Census questionnaire either online, or in paper form, or via telephone interview. Completed paper forms can be submitted to one of the six Population Census hubs set up across the community.

Population Census results serve as an important reference source for the Government’s policy formulation. Members of the public who have not yet done so, are advised to complete the questionnaires by the end of data collection period, which is 28 August.