The raw reality of Mechatronics jobs, WIL internships, and visa filters for international grads in Aus?

Hey everyone,

I’m an international student from India planning to transfer into Year 3 of a Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) in Australia via a 2+2 pathway program.

Since I'll be jumping straight into the final two years of the degree, my primary concern is entirely focused on the employment landscape. I want to fully understand the local market before committing financially.

If you are a current international student, senior, or an engineer working in Australia, I'd love your honest perspective on a few major things:

1. The Mandatory Internship (WIL): How difficult is it actually to land the required professional engineering placement as an international student? Do university industry networks actively help connect you to companies that accept visa holders, or are you essentially competing on your own against local students?
2. The "PR / Citizenship Only" Filter: How strict are local automation, robotics, and manufacturing companies regarding residency status for graduate programs or entry-level roles? Do they give grads on the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa a genuine look, or do applications get automatically filtered out without permanent residency?
3. Paid vs. Unpaid Placements: Are the final-year mechatronics internships typically paid at industry intern rates, or do international students often have to settle for unpaid placements just to fulfill graduation requirements?
4. Part-Time Work to Offset Living Costs: Is the student casual job market completely oversaturated right now? Is it realistic to find part-time work within the legal 48-hour fortnight limit to cover basic living costs, or is it a major struggle?

If anyone who went through a transfer pathway or graduated as an international student in mechatronics/robotics can share their experience, it would be a massive help.

Thanks!