Absentee time away from New Zealand

Absentee time away from New Zealand collects information on how long an absentee, who is overseas on census night, is away from New Zealand. The amount of time away is differentiated by whether the absentee is away from New Zealand for less than 12 months or for 12 months or more.

An absentee is identified on the census dwelling form or the household summary page as someone who usually lives in a particular dwelling but has not completed a census individual form there – because the person was elsewhere in New Zealand or overseas on census night. Such a person may have completed a census individual form elsewhere in New Zealand.

The dwelling form and household summary page provide guidance on who to count/not count as an absentee in the census.

Included are children away at boarding school, people away on holiday, away for work, in hospital for a short time, and so on.

Excluded are university or other tertiary students who live somewhere else for most of the year.

For classification see Aria.

NOTE: this variable is rated as very poor quality.