VII. People in the census household
19. Occupational category
What category [position] did you have in the principal occupation indicated above?
[] 1 Employer
[] 2 Self-employed with a workplace
[] 3 Self-employed without a workplace
[] 4 Public employee
[] 5 Private employee
[] 6 Non-remunerated family worker
Questions for persons aged seven and older only
If the person is less than seven, do not ask him/her question 13-24. Instead, go to the next person on the list.
19. Occupational category
This is the relation between an employed person and his/her job, and indicates if the person is (or has been, in the case of the unemployed) an employer, a self-employed worker, a civil service employee, an employee in the private sector, or an unpaid family worker.
[A graphic of box 19, "occupational category," is reproduced on the left-hand side of the page.]
Ask "What was your occupational category in your principal occupation?" and mark an X in the appropriate circle.
Below are definitions for the "occupational category" so that you can better identify the options:
- Employer: this is a person who is responsible for one or more workers who receive payment in cash or kind for performing an economic activity. If someone is not responsible for employees he/she is not an employer.
- Self-employed: this is a person who does not have an employer and who manages his/her own business, company or farm and who does not employ paid employees.
- Self-employed with premises: this is a person who has a fixed place from which to conduct business, such as a grocery store, a permanent market stall, office, farm, workshop, plot of land, etc.
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- Self-employed without premises: these are persons such as street vendors or others who work for themselves and do not have a fixed place in which to conduct their business. Examples are broom sellers, basket sellers, shoeshine boys, etc.
- Civil service: this is a person who earns a wage or salary from any state office; this may be the central government, municipalities, or autonomous or semi-autonomous independent bodies.
- Paid private employee: this is any employee who earns a wage or salary in any company using private capital.
- Unpaid family member: this is a person who works in a company, business, farm or agricultural enterprise which a family member owns or manages, and who does not receive pay for his/her work.
It is important to understand the information about the person's occupational category to know the country's productive structure, which is important information for economic planning. There should always be an answer if the person has a job. Do not leave this area blank.