Labour Force Survey 1st quarter 1978 - 2nd quarter 1979 panel file

SSB has conducted official quarterly labor force surveys (LFS) as of Q1 1972. The purpose is to provide information to labor authorities and others familiar about the occupational structure of the population and development over time. The studies will provide the basis and statistical material for occupational forecasting and labor market research. In the LFS interview one respodent is interviewed for two consecutive quarters, then there's a two quarter pause and then the respondent is interviewed again over two consecutive quarters. Labour Force Survey 1972 is the first complete vintage with LFS. Originally it was intended that such statistics would be a more analytical supplement to the monthly employment statistics were based on the insurance fund membership files. The insurance fund-based statistics, however, fell away when health insurance was included in the National Insurance Scheme from 1 January 1971, the LFS has gradually evolved to become the main source of knowledge about the state and development of the labor market.

General information on the Labour Force Survey: http://www.nsd.uib.no/data/ny_individ/norStudy/aku.html

Overview of LFS panels with detailed explanation for panel files:
Data collection for the LFS was started somewhat experimental in 1971, but the data are first published from 1972. It may be useful to look at these detailed overview:

Group 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
Quarter 12345| 1234 | 1234 | 1234 | 1234 | 1234 | 1234 | 1234 | 1234 |

17 | | | | XX | XX | | |
18 | | | | XX | XX | | |
19 | | | | XX | XX | | |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
20 | | | | X | X X | X | |
21 | | | | | XX | XX | |
22 | | | | | XX | XX | |
23 | | | | | XX | XX | |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
24 | | | | | X|X X|X | |
25 | | | | | |XX |XX | |
26 | | | | | | XX | XX | |
27 | | | | | | XX| XX| |
28 | | | | | | X|X X|X |
29 | | | | | | |XX |XX |

Panel files are created by linking four interviews from an ordinary interview round in LFS. In the table above means that one could connect all the pools labeled X. Selection criteria is that the respondent has participated four (4) times.

By Labour Force Survey 1976 also adopted a slightly modified questionnaire and one came back at the original six-block rotation plan. The new questionnaire meant that people in the family group workers and temporarily absent from work were identified in a better way. This resulted in approximately 30-35000 more were counted as employed. Group job seekers without work income was also expanded to include involuntary lay-offs. The issues of under- and over-employment in the original form was deleted.

This panel file includes my group 29 in table