diff --git a/apps/portal/src/app/layouts/PortalLayout.tsx b/apps/portal/src/app/layouts/PortalLayout.tsx
index 7564afeec..ca8e4aa49 100644
--- a/apps/portal/src/app/layouts/PortalLayout.tsx
+++ b/apps/portal/src/app/layouts/PortalLayout.tsx
@@ -158,8 +158,11 @@ const NAV_ITEMS: (NavItem & { i18nKey: string })[] = [
 ];
 
 // ── Sidebar visibility rules ──────────────────────────────────────────────
-// Edit these lists to change what each user type sees. Values are the `to`
-// paths from NAV_ITEMS above. '*' means every item.
+// Edit these lists to change what each profession sees. Each key is matched
+// case-insensitively as a substring against the user's profession name
+// (state.auth.currentProfile.profession.name.en) — e.g. the key "cadet"
+// matches a profession named "Deck Cadet". Values are the `to` paths from
+// NAV_ITEMS above. '*' means every item.
 
 const ALWAYS_VISIBLE = ['/notifications', '/profile', '/support'];
 
@@ -194,7 +197,7 @@ const NAV_ACCESS: Record<string, string[] | '*'> = {
   ],
 };
 
-// Used when userType is missing or unrecognized. Set to '*' to show everything.
+// Used when profession is missing or matches no key above. Set to '*' to show everything.
 const FALLBACK_ACCESS: string[] | '*' = ['/dashboard'];
 
 const PAGE_META: Record<string, { i18nKey: string }> = {
@@ -229,7 +232,12 @@ export function PortalLayout() {
   const location = useLocation();
   const dispatch = useDispatch();
   const user = useAppSelector((state) => state.auth.user);
-  const allowed = NAV_ACCESS[user?.userType ?? ''] ?? FALLBACK_ACCESS;
+  const currentProfile = useAppSelector((state) => state.auth.currentProfile);
+  const professionName = (currentProfile?.profession?.name?.en ?? "").toLowerCase();
+  const matchedKey = Object.keys(NAV_ACCESS).find((key) =>
+    professionName.includes(key),
+  );
+  const allowed = (matchedKey ? NAV_ACCESS[matchedKey] : undefined) ?? FALLBACK_ACCESS;
   const visibleNavItems =
     allowed === '*'
       ? NAV_ITEMS
@@ -315,7 +323,7 @@ export function PortalLayout() {
         }}
       >
         <AppSidebar
-          navItems={NAV_ITEMS.map(({ i18nKey, ...rest }) => ({
+          navItems={visibleNavItems.map(({ i18nKey, ...rest }) => ({
             ...rest,
             label: t(i18nKey),
           }))}