Data sources
A wide range of data sources are used to compile international trade in services statistics, including:
- the ABS Survey of International Trade in Services (SITS);
- ABS international merchandise trade (trade in goods) statistics, in turn compiled from customs records;
- the ABS Survey of International Investment (SII);
- the ABS Overseas Arrivals and Departures (OADs); and
- data from other government organisations and administrative data sources.
These data sources are integrated in economic models to compile the official statistics.
For example, for travel services, the measurement concept is simply the number of travellers multiplied by their spend (while overseas). Despite this straightforward concept, over eight data sources are used to contribute to travel service estimates. Each dataset has its own reference period(s), scope, revisions, quality and context. Statistical models are required to interpolate, nowcast, concord, and combine these discrete input data to compile statistics.
Additionally, there are no data sources for many service categories that are available prior to publication, therefore data for the most recent statistical reference periods must be nowcast.
For example, there are no monthly data sources for Transport available prior to publication. Quarterly data sources for Transport services must be modelled to produce monthly indicators.
Monthly estimates should be interpreted with caution. See the Quality section for more information.
Key data sources
Table 1 provides an overview of the key data sources for each service type. The reference period (frequency) and lag to the statistical reference period is listed for each source.
Where there are no data sources for service categories that are available prior to publication, data for the most recent statistical reference periods must be nowcast.
| Service category | Key data sources | Frequency of input data | Lag to statistical reference period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing services on physical inputs owned by others | ABS: International Trade in Goods | Monthly | 1 Month |
| Maintenance and repair n.i.e. | ABS: International Trade in Goods | Monthly | Up to 1 month |
| Transport services | ABS: International Trade in Goods | Quarterly | 1 Quarter |
| ABS: Survey of International Trade in Services | Monthly | 1 Month | |
| ABS: Overseas Arrivals and Departures | Monthly | 1 Month | |
| Tourism Research Australia: International and National Visitor Surveys | Quarterly | 1 Quarter | |
| BITRE: Airline data | Quarterly | 1 Quarter | |
| Travel services | ABS: Overseas Arrivals and Departures | Monthly | 1 Month |
| ABS: Survey of International Trade in Services | Quarterly | 1 Quarter | |
| Tourism Research Australia: International and National Visitor Surveys | Quarterly | 1 Quarter | |
| Department of Home Affairs: student visa numbers | Monthly | No lag | |
| Department of Education, Skills and Employment: Student fees | Quarterly | 1 Quarter | |
| Construction | ABS: Survey of International Trade in Services | Quarterly | 1 Quarter |
| Insurance and pension services | ABS: International Trade in Goods | Monthly | 1 Month |
| ABS: Financial Account | Quarterly | 1 Quarter | |
| APRA: Insurance, reinsurance and superannuation | Various | Up to 3 years | |
| ATO: Net foreign employment income | Annual | 20 months | |
| RBA: Foreign exchange rates | Quarterly | No lag | |
| Financial services | ABS: Survey of International Trade in Services | Quarterly | 1 Quarter |
| ABS: Survey of International Investment | Quarterly | 1 Quarter | |
| Charges for the use of intellectual property n.i.e | ABS: Survey of International Trade in Services | Quarterly | 1 Quarter |
| Telecommunication, computer and information services | ABS: Survey of International Trade in Services | Quarterly | 1 Quarter |
| Other business services | ABS: Survey of International Trade in Services | Quarterly | 1 Quarter |
| Personal, cultural and recreation services | ABS: Survey of International Trade in Services | Quarterly | 1 Quarter |
| Department of Education, Skills and Employment: Student fees | Quarterly | 1 Quarter | |
| Government goods and services n.i.e. | ABS: Overseas Arrivals and Departures | Quarterly | 1 Quarter |
| Various Commonwealth, State and Territory government data sources | Various | Various |
Survey of International Trade in Services (SITS)
The ABS Survey of International Trade in Services (SITS) is a quarterly survey of Australian businesses who engage, or are likely (in the near future) to engage, in trade in service activities, royalties or licence fees.
The SITS was developed to collect data on service activities which have no alternate data source. The Survey is designed to capture robust estimates at the national level. As a result, the quality of estimates decreases with increasing geography or service level detail.
As the SITS is a sampled survey only part of the total service trading population is approached for response each quarter. Respondent data is then ‘expanded’ or ‘weighted’ to make inferences about the total population. The ABS samples and censuses page provides more information on sample surveys.
The SITS is mandatory and is collected under the Census and Statistics Act 1905.
There is no comprehensive source or list to identify enterprises that engage in international trade in services. The ABS Australian Business Register, Australian Tax Office records (ATO), other ABS surveys and environmental scanning are used to identify enterprises that may be in scope.
Information collected from services traders in the SITS also informs the Balance of Payments and International Investment datasets.