Census night is on Tuesday 10 August 2021.
In early August, the Australian Bureau of Statistics - Census will send you instructions on how to take part.
This year you can complete your Census as soon as you receive your instructions, if you know who will be home on Census night. This is different to past years when you had to fill in your form on Census night.
Census staff will be working in remote communities. They can do face to face interviews with people living there between July and August 2021.
You can fill in your form online, on paper or with help from us (ABS - Census).
Key dates
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From early August 2021 - Households will start receiving their Census instructions
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10 August 2021 - Census night
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Mid-August 2021 - Reminder letters delivered to households that have not responded
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Late August 2021 - Field staff start visiting households that have not responded
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June 2022 onwards - Release of 2021 Census data starts.
WHO TO INCLUDE ON YOUR CENSUS
If you are filling out the Census form for a household (either online or on paper), you should include everyone who will spend the night in the household (or dwelling) on Tuesday 10 August 2021. This includes:
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yourself
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your spouse/partner
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adult family members (including adult children, parents, siblings and extended family members)
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babies, children and teenagers
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unrelated housemates, flatmates or boarders
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visitors or friends who spent Census night in the dwelling, including those with no fixed address.
You should also include anyone who will be away on Census night if they are returning on Wednesday 11 August 2021 and they are not included on a form elsewhere (for example, shift workers).
If a person has privacy concerns and wants to complete their own Census form, they will be able to complete a separate online or paper form
If you are the only one at home on Census night, only include yourself.