HONG KONG – The 2026 Population Census will be held from Jan 1 to Dec 31 next year in Hong Kong, according to an order published in the Government Gazette on Friday.

The government will implement several new initiatives to modernize and reform the city’s approach to censuses, such as only around one-tenth of the population will be subject to detailed inquiry by long-form questionnaire.

To reduce the reporting burden on respondents, government administrative data will be used more extensively to supplement survey data, according to a government notification.

Pointing out that the purpose of the census is to obtain up-to-date benchmark information on the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the population of Hong Kong, a government spokesman said: “Such information is important to the government for planning and policy formulation, and the private sector and academia for business and research purposes respectively.”

A small-scale test survey for the 2026 Population Census will be conducted from April to July this year.

READ MORE: HK population sees slight uptick amid talent inflow

Sampled households are encouraged to participate in the census through online questionnaires. They may also choose to provide the requested information by telephone interview.

The Census and Statistics Department officers will visit households that have not completed their questionnaires to collect the requested information.

Households selected to participate in the census will receive a household notification letter issued by the department. If households have not provided telephone numbers to the department, it will not initiate phone calls to them.

When visiting households, census officers will wear a vest uniform and carry a government or enumerator identity card and a Census Officer Certificate of Identity issued by the department.

“To protect the privacy of respondents, the C&SD will implement strict procedures to handle all data collected and will only release statistics that do not reveal the identity of the individuals involved," said the spokesman.

ALSO READ: HK land-based population 7.45m, women outnumber men

All completed questionnaires, in both paper and electronic forms, will be destroyed on or before Dec 31, 2027.

The order will be tabled at the Legislative Council for negative vetting on Feb 19.