1. Informal Sector Statistics
Lao PDR
Informal Sector Statistics
Informal Sector Statistics Training
Bangkok, Thailand | November 2017

2. Outline of presentation
Definition of informal sector
Status of the informal sector in your country
Country policies for informal sector
Current statistics being produced
What data sources do you collect?
National Accounts and the informal sector
Country specific issues in statistics
Development plans
How development partners can help

3. Definitions
In Lao context, the informal sector is not yet clearly identify the definition.
From Statistical perspective, informal sector was defined as a household sector or activities that has been done by household, related with small revenue and income. Some activities are defined as unallocated activities. Moreover, that activities also involve with not pay tax regularly and so on
Policy perspective: informal sector defines as activities that are not permanent, involve with seasonal aspect, small revenue and profit, no contract, and pay or may not pay tax regularly.

4. Status of informal sector statistics
1995
2005
2015
Total Population 10+
3,157,417
3,835,149
5,131,036
Employee
2,165,988
2,469,836
3,474,582
un-employee
53,676
30,681
73,270
Data sources: Population census

5. Status of informal sector statistics
Data sources: Population census

6. Country polices
What are country policies and development plans for the informal Sector
Government has policies to reduce poverty by enhance income earned by household with vary way of support.
Support household business by protect some activities for household ex: hairdressing, etc
Support on agriculture development and policies

7. Data sources
Existing data collection activities and methodologies/ or plans
Population census
Lao Expenditure and Consumption Survey (LECS) 5 years: 2002/2003,…,2012/2013
Economic Census (5 years) 2006,…,2013
Annual Household Survey 2002,..,2016
Annual Enterprise Survey 2002,…,2015 and
Labour Force Survey 2011 (5 year) 2011 and 2017

8. National Accounts
How is the informal sector included in the national accounts?
Conduct SUT 2012 capture household informal activities using cover agriculture production and all other activities.
In GDP according to ISIC informal sector include agriculture, retail (40%), financial (less than 1 %), Professional, scientific and technical assistant and other services.
Output %
Formal sector
97,181
78.2%
Informal Sector Include agriculture
27,130
21.8%
Total
124,311
100.0%

9. Issues What big issues do you face / need to resolve? Policy issues?
SDG indicators for goals 8 &10

10. Development plans for NSO
Plans to develop and enhance informal sector statistics:
Improve the survey design (Questionnaire and sample selection) for Economic Census, Enterprise Survey and Household Survey
TA on data analysis on LFS for informal employment (ILO support) by 2018
Training and workshop on informal sector in SNA
In country workshop on informal employment and poverty
TA to support data analysis on informal sector using data from LFS and LECS 2017 (future need in 2019)

11. Development partners How can the development partners help you?
Rank priorities for development partner assistance

12. Q&A