National Statistics Office to update Periodic Labour Force Survey to cover platform workers and unpaid activities

Key facts

• The National Statistics Office (NSO) is modifying the sampling design and questionnaire of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) to improve data on digital platform workers and unpaid household activities.
• The revised PLFS design will create a separate Second Stage Stratum specifically for digital platform workers.
• The revised Schedule 10.4 will collect information on own-use production, unpaid household and caregiving work, volunteer activities, and unpaid trainee work.
• These new questions will cover people aged 15 years and above in both rural and urban households.
• The changes will be introduced when the NSO draws fresh samples for the two-year period 2027-2028, known as Panel 6.
• A three-month transition period starting in January 2027 will utilize pooled monthly estimates based on both the existing Panel 5 and the updated Panel 6 frames.