diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 625ad04c..ba7c3a39 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ Design document: `/dev-docs/design-document.md`
 - `composer analyse` — Larastan static analysis at level 6 with
   accept-all baseline. New errors beyond the baseline must be fixed
   before merge. See `/dev-docs/LARASTAN.md`.
+- `composer rector` — Rector dry-run for modernisation suggestions.
+  See `/dev-docs/RECTOR.md`. Apply only in scoped sprints, never
+  automatically.
 
 ## Repository layout
 
diff --git a/api/.gitignore b/api/.gitignore
index 0dcf67c3..4c038f7b 100644
--- a/api/.gitignore
+++ b/api/.gitignore
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 /public/storage
 /storage/*.key
 /storage/app/phpstan-tmp
+/storage/app/rector-cache
 /storage/pail
 /vendor
 Homestead.json
diff --git a/api/composer.json b/api/composer.json
index 54c1a17b..9ea71d31 100644
--- a/api/composer.json
+++ b/api/composer.json
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
         "spatie/laravel-permission": "^7.2"
     },
     "require-dev": {
+        "driftingly/rector-laravel": "^2.0",
         "fakerphp/faker": "^1.23",
         "larastan/larastan": "^3.0",
         "laravel/pail": "^1.2.2",
@@ -25,7 +26,8 @@
         "laravel/sail": "^1.41",
         "mockery/mockery": "^1.6",
         "nunomaduro/collision": "^8.6",
-        "phpunit/phpunit": "^11.5.3"
+        "phpunit/phpunit": "^11.5.3",
+        "rector/rector": "^2.0"
     },
     "autoload": {
         "psr-4": {
@@ -59,6 +61,9 @@
         "analyse": "vendor/bin/phpstan analyse --memory-limit=2G",
         "analyse:baseline": "vendor/bin/phpstan analyse --generate-baseline --memory-limit=2G",
         "analyse:clear-cache": "vendor/bin/phpstan clear-result-cache",
+        "rector": "vendor/bin/rector process --dry-run --memory-limit=2G",
+        "rector:apply": "vendor/bin/rector process --memory-limit=2G",
+        "rector:clear-cache": "vendor/bin/rector --clear-cache",
         "post-autoload-dump": [
             "Illuminate\\Foundation\\ComposerScripts::postAutoloadDump",
             "@php artisan package:discover --ansi"
diff --git a/api/composer.lock b/api/composer.lock
index 0e6723f1..62ee0fbe 100644
--- a/api/composer.lock
+++ b/api/composer.lock
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
         "Read more about it at https://getcomposer.org/doc/01-basic-usage.md#installing-dependencies",
         "This file is @generated automatically"
     ],
-    "content-hash": "4c61afc38c9aea624f684146a9b0719a",
+    "content-hash": "0bf117afd2eabe5e7f1c5576276666cb",
     "packages": [
         {
             "name": "bacon/bacon-qr-code",
@@ -7580,6 +7580,42 @@
         }
     ],
     "packages-dev": [
+        {
+            "name": "driftingly/rector-laravel",
+            "version": "2.3.0",
+            "source": {
+                "type": "git",
+                "url": "https://github.com/driftingly/rector-laravel.git",
+                "reference": "3c1c13f335b3b4d1a1f944a8ea194020044871ed"
+            },
+            "dist": {
+                "type": "zip",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/driftingly/rector-laravel/zipball/3c1c13f335b3b4d1a1f944a8ea194020044871ed",
+                "reference": "3c1c13f335b3b4d1a1f944a8ea194020044871ed",
+                "shasum": ""
+            },
+            "require": {
+                "php": "^7.4 || ^8.0",
+                "rector/rector": "^2.2.7",
+                "webmozart/assert": "^1.11 || ^2.0"
+            },
+            "type": "rector-extension",
+            "autoload": {
+                "psr-4": {
+                    "RectorLaravel\\": "src"
+                }
+            },
+            "notification-url": "https://packagist.org/downloads/",
+            "license": [
+                "MIT"
+            ],
+            "description": "Rector upgrades rules for Laravel Framework",
+            "support": {
+                "issues": "https://github.com/driftingly/rector-laravel/issues",
+                "source": "https://github.com/driftingly/rector-laravel/tree/2.3.0"
+            },
+            "time": "2026-04-08T10:52:44+00:00"
+        },
         {
             "name": "fakerphp/faker",
             "version": "v1.24.1",
@@ -8975,6 +9011,66 @@
             ],
             "time": "2026-02-18T12:37:06+00:00"
         },
+        {
+            "name": "rector/rector",
+            "version": "2.4.2",
+            "source": {
+                "type": "git",
+                "url": "https://github.com/rectorphp/rector.git",
+                "reference": "e645b6463c6a88ea5b44b17d3387d35a912c7946"
+            },
+            "dist": {
+                "type": "zip",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/rectorphp/rector/zipball/e645b6463c6a88ea5b44b17d3387d35a912c7946",
+                "reference": "e645b6463c6a88ea5b44b17d3387d35a912c7946",
+                "shasum": ""
+            },
+            "require": {
+                "php": "^7.4|^8.0",
+                "phpstan/phpstan": "^2.1.48"
+            },
+            "conflict": {
+                "rector/rector-doctrine": "*",
+                "rector/rector-downgrade-php": "*",
+                "rector/rector-phpunit": "*",
+                "rector/rector-symfony": "*"
+            },
+            "suggest": {
+                "ext-dom": "To manipulate phpunit.xml via the custom-rule command"
+            },
+            "bin": [
+                "bin/rector"
+            ],
+            "type": "library",
+            "autoload": {
+                "files": [
+                    "bootstrap.php"
+                ]
+            },
+            "notification-url": "https://packagist.org/downloads/",
+            "license": [
+                "MIT"
+            ],
+            "description": "Instant Upgrade and Automated Refactoring of any PHP code",
+            "homepage": "https://getrector.com/",
+            "keywords": [
+                "automation",
+                "dev",
+                "migration",
+                "refactoring"
+            ],
+            "support": {
+                "issues": "https://github.com/rectorphp/rector/issues",
+                "source": "https://github.com/rectorphp/rector/tree/2.4.2"
+            },
+            "funding": [
+                {
+                    "url": "https://github.com/tomasvotruba",
+                    "type": "github"
+                }
+            ],
+            "time": "2026-04-16T13:07:34+00:00"
+        },
         {
             "name": "sebastian/cli-parser",
             "version": "3.0.2",
@@ -10138,6 +10234,68 @@
                 }
             ],
             "time": "2025-11-17T20:03:58+00:00"
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "webmozart/assert",
+            "version": "2.3.0",
+            "source": {
+                "type": "git",
+                "url": "https://github.com/webmozarts/assert.git",
+                "reference": "eb0d790f735ba6cff25c683a85a1da0eadeff9e4"
+            },
+            "dist": {
+                "type": "zip",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/webmozarts/assert/zipball/eb0d790f735ba6cff25c683a85a1da0eadeff9e4",
+                "reference": "eb0d790f735ba6cff25c683a85a1da0eadeff9e4",
+                "shasum": ""
+            },
+            "require": {
+                "ext-ctype": "*",
+                "ext-date": "*",
+                "ext-filter": "*",
+                "php": "^8.2"
+            },
+            "suggest": {
+                "ext-intl": "",
+                "ext-simplexml": "",
+                "ext-spl": ""
+            },
+            "type": "library",
+            "extra": {
+                "branch-alias": {
+                    "dev-feature/2-0": "2.0-dev"
+                }
+            },
+            "autoload": {
+                "psr-4": {
+                    "Webmozart\\Assert\\": "src/"
+                }
+            },
+            "notification-url": "https://packagist.org/downloads/",
+            "license": [
+                "MIT"
+            ],
+            "authors": [
+                {
+                    "name": "Bernhard Schussek",
+                    "email": "bschussek@gmail.com"
+                },
+                {
+                    "name": "Woody Gilk",
+                    "email": "woody.gilk@gmail.com"
+                }
+            ],
+            "description": "Assertions to validate method input/output with nice error messages.",
+            "keywords": [
+                "assert",
+                "check",
+                "validate"
+            ],
+            "support": {
+                "issues": "https://github.com/webmozarts/assert/issues",
+                "source": "https://github.com/webmozarts/assert/tree/2.3.0"
+            },
+            "time": "2026-04-11T10:33:05+00:00"
         }
     ],
     "aliases": [],
diff --git a/api/rector.php b/api/rector.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a5755d83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/rector.php
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use Rector\Config\RectorConfig;
+use Rector\Set\ValueObject\SetList;
+use RectorLaravel\Set\LaravelSetList;
+
+return RectorConfig::configure()
+    ->withPaths([
+        __DIR__ . '/app',
+        __DIR__ . '/database',
+        __DIR__ . '/tests',
+    ])
+    ->withSkip([
+        __DIR__ . '/bootstrap/cache',
+        __DIR__ . '/storage',
+        __DIR__ . '/vendor',
+    ])
+    // PHP language-level upgrades up to current target
+    ->withPhpSets(php82: true)
+
+    // Quality + safety rule sets (low-risk for adoption)
+    ->withSets([
+        SetList::CODE_QUALITY,
+        SetList::DEAD_CODE,
+        SetList::EARLY_RETURN,
+        SetList::TYPE_DECLARATION,
+        SetList::PRIVATIZATION,
+    ])
+
+    // Laravel-specific rule sets
+    ->withSets([
+        LaravelSetList::LARAVEL_CODE_QUALITY,
+        LaravelSetList::LARAVEL_COLLECTION,
+    ])
+
+    ->withCache(
+        cacheDirectory: __DIR__ . '/storage/app/rector-cache',
+    );
diff --git a/dev-docs/BACKLOG.md b/dev-docs/BACKLOG.md
index b73e3750..4a4d0b28 100644
--- a/dev-docs/BACKLOG.md
+++ b/dev-docs/BACKLOG.md
@@ -886,5 +886,86 @@ baseline; volledige test suite groen.
 
 ---
 
+## Rector application sprints
+
+Rector is geïnstalleerd en geconfigureerd op PHP 8.2 + safe quality
++ Laravel code-quality rule sets. Dry-run rapporteert **487
+rule-applications over 357 files** verdeeld over ~35 distinct rules.
+Zie `/dev-docs/RECTOR.md` voor werkmodel. Per-ruleset sprints
+hieronder — elke sprint beperkt zich tot één scope, past toe,
+verifieert tests + Larastan, regenereert waar nodig.
+
+### TECH-RECTOR-01 — DEAD_CODE sprint
+
+**Priority:** Middel
+**Scope:** `SetList::DEAD_CODE` over app/, database/, tests/.
+**Estimate:** Top 13 unused-variable removals via
+`RemoveUnusedVariableAssignRector`, plus verwante dead-code rules.
+Exact totaal: ~30-50 changes.
+**Completion gate:** `composer rector:apply` clean voor deze set;
+test suite groen; Larastan baseline geregenereerd en kleiner (of
+gelijk). Commit per sub-directory indien >50 wijzigingen.
+
+**Approach:**
+- Tijdelijk in rector.php alleen DEAD_CODE aanzetten, andere sets
+  uitcommentariseren.
+- `composer rector` om diff te reviewen voor zekerheid.
+- `composer rector:apply`.
+- `composer test` + `composer analyse`.
+- Herstel rector.php naar volledige config.
+- Commit.
+
+### TECH-RECTOR-02 — TYPE_DECLARATION sprint
+
+**Priority:** Middel (hoogste volume — 174+ changes)
+**Scope:** `SetList::TYPE_DECLARATION`.
+**Estimate:** ~174+ changes — top drivers:
+`AddClosureVoidReturnTypeWhereNoReturnRector` (103),
+`AddArrowFunctionReturnTypeRector` (71), plus
+`AddArrayFunctionClosureParamTypeRector` en kleinere.
+**Completion gate:** zie TECH-RECTOR-01. **Extra**: deze set lost
+waarschijnlijk veel `missingType.*` errors in Larastan baseline op —
+regenereer en commit gereduceerde phpstan-baseline.neon mee.
+
+### TECH-RECTOR-03 — LARAVEL_CODE_QUALITY + LARAVEL_COLLECTION sprint
+
+**Priority:** Middel
+**Scope:** `LaravelSetList::LARAVEL_CODE_QUALITY` +
+`LaravelSetList::LARAVEL_COLLECTION`.
+**Estimate:** ~80 changes — `AppToResolveRector` (51),
+`DispatchToHelperFunctionsRector` (8),
+`EloquentOrderByToLatestOrOldestRector` (7),
+`CarbonToDateFacadeRector` (4), plus collection-idioms.
+**Completion gate:** zie TECH-RECTOR-01.
+
+**Approach:**
+- Splits in twee commits (één per set) als het totaal te groot is
+  om in één review te laten passen.
+
+### TECH-RECTOR-04 — CODE_QUALITY + EARLY_RETURN + PRIVATIZATION
+
+**Priority:** Laag
+**Scope:** resterende quality-sets (~80 changes).
+**Estimate:** `ConvertStaticToSelfRector` (34),
+`ReadOnlyClassRector` (27), `ReturnBinaryOrToEarlyReturnRector` (16),
+`ClosureToArrowFunctionRector` (9), etc.
+**Completion gate:** zie TECH-RECTOR-01.
+
+### TECH-RECTOR-05 — Laravel modernisation sprint
+
+**Priority:** Laag
+**Scope:** review en selectief enable van
+`LaravelLevelSetList::UP_TO_LARAVEL_*` in rector.php.
+**Estimate:** onbekend tot per-set dry-runs zijn bekeken.
+**Completion gate:** per-set applicatie als gescoopte commits.
+
+### TECH-RECTOR-CI — CI integration
+
+**Priority:** Laag
+**Scope:** `composer rector` (dry-run) als PR-comment-surface. Apply
+blijft handmatig.
+
+---
+
 _Laatste update: April 2026_
 _Voeg nieuwe items toe met prefix: ARCH-, COMM-, OPS-, VOL-, ART-, FORM-, SUP-, DIFF-, APPS-, TECH-, UX-_
diff --git a/dev-docs/RECTOR.md b/dev-docs/RECTOR.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0aed1fba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev-docs/RECTOR.md
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# Rector (automated refactoring)
+
+Modernisation tool for the Crewli backend. Provides automated
+refactoring against PHP-version and Laravel-version rule sets.
+
+## Running locally
+
+- `composer rector` — DRY-RUN. Lists proposed changes, modifies
+  nothing. Default mode for safety. Exit code is 2 when suggestions
+  exist, 0 when the codebase is clean — this is Rector's convention
+  and NOT an error state.
+- `composer rector:apply` — APPLIES changes. Use only inside a
+  scoped reduction sprint with a planned set of rule-applications.
+- `composer rector:clear-cache` — clear Rector cache.
+
+Memory: 2G default. Bump to 4G if OOM.
+
+## The dry-run-then-apply model
+
+Rector configuration in `rector.php` defines the rule sets that
+SHOULD apply. `composer rector` reports what WOULD change without
+modifying code. `composer rector:apply` actually performs the
+changes.
+
+### Rules
+
+1. **Default workflow is dry-run.** Never run `composer rector:apply`
+   outside a scoped reduction sprint. Mass-applying produces
+   unreviewable PRs.
+2. **One rule-set per sprint.** Pick `SetList::DEAD_CODE` (or
+   similar) for one PR. Apply, review, regenerate baselines,
+   commit. Then move to the next set.
+3. **Run all tests + Larastan after each apply.** Rector is
+   deterministic but rule-set interactions can produce surprises
+   (e.g., `TYPE_DECLARATION` may surface new Larastan errors that
+   were previously hidden by dynamic typing).
+
+## Currently configured rule sets
+
+PHP language:
+- `withPhpSets(php82: true)` — language features up to PHP 8.2
+
+Quality:
+- `SetList::CODE_QUALITY`
+- `SetList::DEAD_CODE`
+- `SetList::EARLY_RETURN`
+- `SetList::TYPE_DECLARATION`
+- `SetList::PRIVATIZATION`
+
+Laravel:
+- `LaravelSetList::LARAVEL_CODE_QUALITY`
+- `LaravelSetList::LARAVEL_COLLECTION`
+
+**Not yet enabled** (deferred to specific reduction sprints):
+- `LaravelLevelSetList::UP_TO_LARAVEL_*` — disruptive bulk upgrades
+- `SetList::NAMING` — reformats variable names; high churn
+- `SetList::INSTANCEOF` — substantial logic changes
+
+Add a set during a reduction sprint by editing `rector.php` and
+running `composer rector` (dry-run) before applying.
+
+## Adding skip-rules
+
+If a specific rule produces incorrect changes for the project, add
+to `withSkip([...])` in `rector.php`:
+
+```php
+->withSkip([
+    SomeSpecificRule::class => [
+        __DIR__ . '/app/path/to/file.php',
+    ],
+])
+```
+
+Document the skip with a code comment in `rector.php` explaining
+why the rule is bypassed for that path.
+
+## Relationship to Larastan
+
+Different concerns:
+- **Larastan**: "this code is wrong" (types, null-safety, missing
+  methods)
+- **Rector**: "this code can be modernised" (PHP version idioms,
+  Laravel idioms, dead code, early-return patterns)
+
+Both run on the same codebase. After a Rector apply-sprint,
+regenerate the Larastan baseline — Rector changes often resolve
+Larastan errors automatically.
+
+## CI integration
+
+Not enabled yet. When added, `composer rector` (dry-run) becomes
+a non-blocking PR comment that surfaces suggested modernisations.
+Apply happens manually, never automatically in CI.