The Australian Bureau of Statistics expects more than half of the people surveyed in this year's census will be born overseas or have migrant parents. For many, completing the national population survey can be challenging. So the Bureau is advertising to recruit field officers who can speak languages other than English...
On the evening of August the 9th, 10 million households and close to 24 million people will take part in the 2016 Census.
It's set to be Australia's biggest-ever online event.
Sixty-five per cent of those surveyed are expected to do so by computer - rather than the traditional paper form - and 38,000 field officers will be out in force to ensure all goes to plan.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has launched a recruitment drive to fill those temporary jobs.
The head of this year's Census, Duncan Young, says the Bureau is seeking a workforce that truly reflects the diversity of Australia's population.
"Australia is becoming more multicultural every time. We actually think think that in 2016 we may have more than half of Australians either born overseas or at least have one of hteir parents born overseas. So in order to connect with people across every community we do need people who speak languages other than English or come from different backgrounds", said Young.
The last census five years ago revealed about one in four Australians was born overseas, with just over 43 per cent having at least one migrant parent.
While the ABS provides extensive translation services, Young says even the concept of the Census itself can prove puzzling for many newly-arrived migrants.
"Some people struggle to understand that in Australia the Census is compulsory for everyone in Australia on Census night, so understanding the scope of the Census. Even if you are in Australia temporarily as a student it's still really important that you fill out the census form and they are included in the count", he says.
Even tourists and business visitors are asked to participate. Organisers are focusing particularly on those who have been in Australia for less than five years, with no previous experience of how the census works.
"Certainly groups of students can be a really tough area for us to make sure that we are reaching out to them and that we get the right materials to help them understand the importance of it to the community and to the universities they are studying at, said Duncan Young, the head of this year's Census.
