Trust
Fact-checking policy
Every numeric claim on CRSScoreCalculator.net — CRS point values, draw cut-offs, fees, processing times, NOC mappings — is checked against a primary source before publication and re-checked on a schedule.
Primary sources first
IRCC.gc.ca, ESDC, StatCan, Canada Gazette, provincial PNP pages. Secondary sources (CIC News) only when primary is unavailable or for context.
Independent verification
Editor + separate fact-checker confirm every numeric claim against the original document before publication.
Re-verified on a schedule
Pillar pages reviewed every 90 days. Draw cut-offs and category lists reviewed within 48 hours of every IRCC announcement.
Conservative interpretation
Where IRCC's wording is ambiguous, we default to the more conservative interpretation and flag the trade-off in the body of the guide.
Claim categories and source standards
| Claim type | Primary source | Re-verified |
|---|---|---|
| CRS point values & sub-caps | IRCC CRS scoring tables | After every Ministerial Instruction |
| Draw cut-offs and ITAs issued | IRCC Express Entry rounds of invitations | Within 24 hours of each round |
| Category-based draw NOC lists | IRCC Ministerial Instructions | After every MI |
| NOC / TEER mappings | ESDC NOC 2021 portal (noc.esdc.gc.ca) | Quarterly |
| Application fees & RPRF | IRCC fees page | Quarterly + after gazette update |
| Processing times / service standards | IRCC processing times tool | Monthly |
| Provincial nominee criteria | Official PNP pages (province by province) | Quarterly |
| Language test conversions (IELTS/CELPIP/TEF/TCF → CLB/NCLC) | IRCC language equivalency charts | Annually |
Our verification workflow
- Drafting: Writer cites a primary source for every numeric claim in-line.
- Editor pass: Editor confirms structure, tone, and that no claim is unsourced.
- Fact-checker pass: Independent fact-checker opens each cited source and confirms the claim.
- Quarterly review: Pillar pages are re-checked every 90 days for drift.
- Event-driven review: After every IRCC announcement, affected pages are re-checked within 48 hours.
What we don't do
- We don't quote anonymous Reddit threads, Facebook groups or unverified WhatsApp messages as fact.
- We don't repeat consultant marketing claims without independently verifying the underlying IRCC source.
- We don't predict future draw cut-offs as fact — only as conditional estimates with stated assumptions.
Errors and corrections
When a verified factual error is identified, we update the page within 48 hours and note the correction in the page footer with the date and the substance of the change. Major corrections also trigger a homepage notice for one week.