Administrative records constitute a relevant information source for statistical production, explaining the growing line of work in statistical institutions around the world. It is possible to observe an increasing demand for disaggregated, timely, and quality statistical information, which has gained even greater importance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Statistics Institute of Chile (INE) has considerable experience in statistical use of administrative records for demographic statistics, which dates from 1982 when the Tripartite agreement between the Civil Registration and Identification Service (SRCeI), the Health Ministry (MINSAL) and INE was signed and then updated in 2012 and 2018. The objective of this agreement focused on the production of a Vital Statistics Yearbook that contained information related to vital events, specifically those that mark the beginning and end of life and changes in marital status.
The collaboration between the three institutions comprehends a data production process in which both SRCeI and MINSAL provide relevant administrative data. MINSAL and INE review, analyze, classify, code and compare the data corresponding to the health and sociodemographic variables (according to the competence of each institution) and then INE is in charge of presenting the results. Those results, allow the calculation of statistical indicators to understand and study the current and past behavior of population components and project its possible evolution in time.
International migration is the second great area of expertise in the use of administrative data for demographic statistics. In close collaboration with the National Migration Service (Sermig) and support of the Investigative Police (PDI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrel) and SRCeI, data from the census and administrative records are linked at micro level and processed to estimate the number of habitual foreign residents in Chile at the end of each year, nationwide, regional and for the main communes of the country. Information has been produced since 2018 with yearly methodology improvements.
The need to move towards a direction of complementarity between the traditional means of data collection such as censuses and sample surveys and the information collected through administrative data has become evident. Within this context and in accordance with INE’s strategic planning for 2022-2026, the institution decided to implement the project Statistical Population Register (SPR).
The objective of the project is to design, build, and implement the initial SPR, and to enhance statistical production based on the statistical use of administrative population records. The SPR seeks to address the use of administrative records with an integrated approach that collects population data for enumeration, location, and basic demographic characterization. The challenge addresses methodological, quality, processes and technological aspects, as well as promoting the importance of collaborative work with other State institutions.
