diff --git a/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/[id]/page.tsx b/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/[id]/page.tsx
index 2ea86f8..16884e5 100644
--- a/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,13 @@ export default async function CandidateDetailPage({ params }: { params: Promise<
   const { id } = await params;
   const c = await db.crewMember.findUnique({
     where: { id },
-    include: { appliedRank: { select: { name: true } }, currentRank: { select: { name: true } } },
+    include: {
+      appliedRank: { select: { name: true } },
+      currentRank: { select: { name: true } },
+      // B3 AC3 — pull the returning hand's history so the callout shows real records.
+      experienceRecords: { orderBy: { fromDate: "desc" }, include: { rank: { select: { name: true } } } },
+      documents: { orderBy: { createdAt: "desc" }, select: { id: true, docType: true, expiryDate: true } },
+    },
   });
   if (!c) notFound();
 
@@ -53,8 +59,42 @@ export default async function CandidateDetailPage({ params }: { params: Promise<
 
       {c.source === "EX_HAND" && (
         <div className="mb-6 rounded-lg border border-purple-200 bg-purple-50 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-purple-800">
-          <strong>Returning crew.</strong> Prior documents, bank details and tour history are on file from earlier
-          assignments; the interview may be waived with Manager approval (recruitment pipeline — next phase).
+          <strong>Returning crew.</strong> The interview may be waived with Manager approval.{" "}
+          {c.experienceRecords.length === 0 && c.documents.length === 0 ? (
+            <span>No prior records are on file yet.</span>
+          ) : (
+            <span>Prior records on file from earlier assignments:</span>
+          )}
+
+          {c.experienceRecords.length > 0 && (
+            <div className="mt-3">
+              <p className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-purple-600 mb-1">Tour history</p>
+              <ul className="space-y-1">
+                {c.experienceRecords.map((e) => (
+                  <li key={e.id} className="text-sm text-purple-900">
+                    {e.rank?.name ?? "—"}
+                    {e.vesselType ? ` · ${e.vesselType}` : ""}
+                    {e.durationMonths != null ? ` · ${experienceLabel(e.durationMonths)}` : ""}
+                    {e.fromDate ? ` (${e.fromDate.getFullYear()}${e.toDate ? `–${e.toDate.getFullYear()}` : ""})` : ""}
+                  </li>
+                ))}
+              </ul>
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          {c.documents.length > 0 && (
+            <div className="mt-3">
+              <p className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-purple-600 mb-1">Documents on file</p>
+              <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5">
+                {c.documents.map((doc) => (
+                  <span key={doc.id} className="rounded bg-purple-100 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs text-purple-800">
+                    {doc.docType}
+                    {doc.expiryDate ? ` · exp ${doc.expiryDate.getFullYear()}` : ""}
+                  </span>
+                ))}
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          )}
         </div>
       )}
 
diff --git a/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/actions.ts b/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/actions.ts
index 5d7c928..63972ca 100644
--- a/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/actions.ts
+++ b/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/actions.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,45 @@ export async function addCandidate(formData: FormData): Promise<ActionResult> {
   const d = parsed.data;
   const { type, status } = derive(d.source);
 
+  // B3 AC1 — ex-hand recognition: a returning person re-entered as a fresh
+  // candidate (not already tagged EX_HAND) is matched to their existing EX_HAND
+  // pool record by a stable key — email when given, else an exact name match —
+  // and the SAME row is reused (so their tour history, documents and bank stay on
+  // file) rather than creating a duplicate. (Heuristic: with no DOB on file a
+  // name-only match can in theory collide; email is preferred when available.)
+  if (d.source !== "EX_HAND") {
+    const match = await db.crewMember.findFirst({
+      where: {
+        status: "EX_HAND",
+        ...(d.email
+          ? { email: { equals: d.email, mode: "insensitive" } }
+          : { name: { equals: d.name, mode: "insensitive" } }),
+      },
+      select: { id: true, appliedRankId: true, currentRankId: true, email: true, phone: true, notes: true, experienceMonths: true, vesselTypeExperience: true },
+    });
+    if (match) {
+      const updated = await db.crewMember.update({
+        where: { id: match.id },
+        data: {
+          // Keep EX_HAND type/status; refresh the application's details, never
+          // discarding prior history (take the larger recorded experience).
+          appliedRankId: d.appliedRankId || match.appliedRankId,
+          currentRankId: d.currentRankId || match.currentRankId,
+          email: d.email || match.email,
+          phone: d.phone || match.phone,
+          notes: d.notes || match.notes,
+          experienceMonths: Math.max(d.experienceMonths, match.experienceMonths),
+          vesselTypeExperience: d.vesselTypeExperience || match.vesselTypeExperience,
+          actions: { create: { actionType: "CANDIDATE_UPDATED", actorId: g.userId, metadata: { exHandRecognized: true } } },
+        },
+      });
+      const cvKey = await storeCv(formData, updated.id);
+      if (cvKey) await db.crewMember.update({ where: { id: updated.id }, data: { cvKey } });
+      revalidatePath(LIST_PATH);
+      return { ok: true, id: updated.id };
+    }
+  }
+
   const candidate = await db.crewMember.create({
     data: {
       name: d.name,
diff --git a/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/page.tsx b/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/page.tsx
index 80adfae..065ef37 100644
--- a/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/page.tsx
+++ b/App/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/page.tsx
@@ -46,5 +46,9 @@ export default async function CandidatesPage() {
     hasCv: Boolean(c.cvKey),
   }));
 
+  // B3 AC2 — ex-hands (proven crew) surface above new candidates by default.
+  // Stable sort preserves the createdAt-desc order within each group.
+  rows.sort((a, b) => Number(b.status === "EX_HAND") - Number(a.status === "EX_HAND"));
+
   return <CandidatesManager candidates={rows} ranks={ranks} />;
 }
diff --git a/App/tests/integration/candidates.test.ts b/App/tests/integration/candidates.test.ts
index 0baafe5..915ad8b 100644
--- a/App/tests/integration/candidates.test.ts
+++ b/App/tests/integration/candidates.test.ts
@@ -6,14 +6,21 @@
  * its CrewAction rows) wholesale — no pre-existing rows to preserve.
  */
 import { vi, describe, it, expect, beforeAll, afterAll, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import React from "react";
+// The list page's JSX compiles to classic React.createElement in the node runner.
+(globalThis as unknown as { React: typeof React }).React = React;
 
 vi.mock("@/auth", () => ({ auth: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("next/cache", () => ({ revalidatePath: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("next/navigation", () => ({ redirect: vi.fn(), notFound: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("@/lib/feature-flags", () => ({ CREWING_ENABLED: true, INVENTORY_ENABLED: true }));
+// We read the page element's props directly; the client component is irrelevant.
+vi.mock("@/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/candidates-manager", () => ({ CandidatesManager: () => null }));
 
 import { auth } from "@/auth";
 import { db } from "@/lib/db";
 import { addCandidate, updateCandidate } from "@/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/actions";
+import CandidatesPage from "@/app/(portal)/crewing/candidates/page";
 import { makeSession, getSeedUser, fd } from "./helpers";
 import type { Role } from "@prisma/client";
 
@@ -88,6 +95,50 @@ describe("addCandidate", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("ex-hand recognition + ordering (B3)", () => {
+  it("recognizes a returning hand by email and reuses the same row (AC1)", async () => {
+    as(managerId, "MANAGER");
+    await addCandidate(fd({ name: "Ravi Old", source: "EX_HAND", email: "ravi@ex.com", experienceMonths: "120" }));
+    const exhand = await db.crewMember.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { status: "EX_HAND" } });
+
+    // Re-applies as a fresh careers candidate with the same email → recognized.
+    const res = await addCandidate(fd({ name: "Ravi Returning", source: "CAREERS", email: "ravi@ex.com", appliedRankId: rankId }));
+    expect("ok" in res && res.id).toBe(exhand.id);
+    expect(await db.crewMember.count()).toBe(1); // no duplicate row
+
+    const after = await db.crewMember.findUniqueOrThrow({ where: { id: exhand.id }, include: { actions: true } });
+    expect(after.status).toBe("EX_HAND");
+    expect(after.appliedRankId).toBe(rankId);
+    expect(after.experienceMonths).toBe(120); // prior history preserved (max)
+    expect(after.actions.some((a) => a.actionType === "CANDIDATE_UPDATED")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("recognizes a returning hand by exact name when no email is given (AC1)", async () => {
+    as(managerId, "MANAGER");
+    await addCandidate(fd({ name: "Returning Ravi", source: "EX_HAND" }));
+    const res = await addCandidate(fd({ name: "returning ravi", source: "REFERRAL" })); // case-insensitive
+    const exhand = await db.crewMember.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { status: "EX_HAND" } });
+    expect("ok" in res && res.id).toBe(exhand.id);
+    expect(await db.crewMember.count()).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("does not match a different person → creates a new candidate", async () => {
+    as(managerId, "MANAGER");
+    await addCandidate(fd({ name: "Ex One", source: "EX_HAND", email: "one@ex.com" }));
+    await addCandidate(fd({ name: "Brand New", source: "CAREERS", email: "new@ex.com" }));
+    expect(await db.crewMember.count()).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it("lists ex-hands above new candidates by default (AC2)", async () => {
+    as(managerId, "MANAGER");
+    await addCandidate(fd({ name: "New First", source: "CAREERS" }));
+    await addCandidate(fd({ name: "Ex Second", source: "EX_HAND" }));
+    const el = (await CandidatesPage()) as unknown as { props: { candidates: Array<{ name: string; status: string }> } };
+    expect(el.props.candidates[0].status).toBe("EX_HAND");
+    expect(el.props.candidates[0].name).toBe("Ex Second");
+  });
+});
+
 describe("updateCandidate", () => {
   it("edits fields and writes a CANDIDATE_UPDATED action", async () => {
     as(managerId, "MANAGER");