Evaluation of small area estimation techniques for the Canadian Labour Force Survey - ARCHIVED

Estimates from sample surveys are sometimes required for domains whose boundaries do not coincide with those of design strata. Taking the Canadian Labour Force Survey as an example of a survey utilizing a clustered sample design, some alternative small area estimation techniques available in the literature are evaluated empirically including synthetic, domain (simple and post-stratified) and composite estimators which are linear combinations of synthetic and post-stratified domain estimators. A sample dependent estimator which attaches weight to the post-stratified domain estimate depending on the amount of sample in the domain is proposed and its performance is also evaluated.