Nationals of the Republic of North Macedonia who live or reside abroad during the 2021 Census will self-register by using an app available on the State Statistical Office’s website from March 1 to April 21, 2021, the government said Tuesday.

“These citizens are considered as being in the category of population for whom census data will be provided under the name ‘total non-resident population’. These include nationals of the Republic of North Macedonia who by the time of the 2021 Census have been living abroad for over 12 months (one year) due to an employment or other reasons, as well as members of their households,” said the press release.

To self-register, they need their single identification number (EMBG). These nationals will be counted in line with the methodology for preparing, organizing and administering the 2021 census of population, households and dwellings in North Macedonia and the manual for self-registration of people residing abroad, passed by the head of the State Statistical Office.

People with a residence in the country, who are abroad during the headcount but didn’t self-register using the app, will be counted at their recent residence in North Macedonia if an adult over 18 is present in the households in order to provide all the necessary information on these nationals.

“To count these group of citizens will provide information on human capital, the number and structure of people who have moved out, their education, age. It will be done so as to develop policies and socio-economic measures to reduce and prevent migration. The information will help in planning job creation according to demands on the labor market, creating advanced youth policies and preventing the so called ‘brain drain’ of highly qualified people,” the government said in today’s press release, adding the census, slated for April 1-21, as a statistical operation is defined according to the legal framework and standards of the UN and Eurostat.