An update from me too.
I received my OWP in mid December 2015, almost 7 months after my application was lodged.
My application was not sent back and I was not requested to pay the remaining $155 that I failed to include with my application. I was just sent an OWP with no letter attached. I don't know how this could be unless they took the remaining fee out of the optional permanent resident fee I paid with my spouse visa application.
For those interested, more detailed info:
I was actually told by CIC call centre in mid October 2015 that my OWP had been granted at the beginning of October and that it was sent to my current address. I was shocked, and a little bit unsure whether to believe it, considering I had only paid $100 with my application. I called back the next day to get more information and was told, in a very rude tone, by a CIC officer that if I had been told it was granted then he wouldn't look up my case again and that the letter could take 6 weeks to arrive, and not to call back before then.
I went overseas shortly after and when I returned in November (with my spouse), I had not received my OWP but I told the border agent I had been advised it was granted. The border agent told me he could not see that any OWP had been granted. He indicated it was not worth calling CIC and granted me a Tourist visa instead.
I then called CIC the next day, to be assured that I did have a work permit granted in early Oct, that the border agent just would've have been able to see it because the case was now considered 'closed'. This person I spoke with told me my OWP was sent to my old address, and she would request to have it sent to my current address (I had updated this 3.5 months ago), which would take 2-3 weeks. I received it about 4 weeks later, however the grant date was now late November, not early October like I had been originally told. Maybe they had to grant it again, I am not sure. But after this long process I am relieved I have an OWP in my hand. It is only valid until when my passport expires, hopefully I will be eligible for another work permit then and the process will be smoother next time.
