WHP Canada to Spouse Sponsorship

Hello I'm an Australian on a working holiday visa in Canada. I live with my girlfriend and I will be applying for permanent residency soon (spouse sponsor). I've looked extensively through the guide and I'm confident that we will run into no major problems with it, my concern though is my visa will run out before I get permanent residency. Which is fine if they keep running the current visa as I'm allowed to renew it every 2 years until I'm 30. What I have noticed though is that they seem to be slowly restricting the visa so in the event that it becomes like all of the other working visas to Canada where you can only apply once in your lifetime, I would like to know what options are available.

If they change the visa and I'm not able to renew it, do I have any options to continue staying and working in Canada until my residency is approved? I know I'm not eligibile for a standard working visa as I am not in a needed recognized position.

If there are no options and I have to go back to Australia and wait until my residency is approved, will I be disadvantaged because I left Canada whilst the process is ongoing?

Am I allowed to leave and enter Canada freely whilst the visa is processing?

Thank you.