So did your visitor status expired? (You stayed past the allowed of time grant. Default is 6 months)
If so you need to restore to visitor status. Before your status is restored, you cannot apply for OWP.
The OWP they allow with inland spousal sponsorship application needed to be sent at the same time.
If you still have valid status, and if your application package is complete and is not being sent back, you will have imply status because of the OWP application included.
If your visitor status has expired and is waiting for restoration, you cannot get OWP until your application reaches AIP.
If you have read people who had their visitor status expired and were able to apply for OWP and grant before AIP, please post those disucssion links here.
I've never seen that. The cases I've seen were their visitor status were valid when they submitted their inland application with their OWP but visitor status expired during the wait. Then they will be implied status as visitor. If you are not talking about spousal or family sponsorship, then I have no idea of those other PR process.