1. How is the training back log these days? I knew a few guys who joined a couple of years back and waited ages to get online. Is this still the case?
That would depend on when you join, it's all up to chance. Your batch might get thru in as little as 3 months, the guys who joined the week after you might take as long as 6 months or more. There is no way of knowing, the training department has some insight on this but you'll never know.. when you work here your strictly on a need to know basis.. and you don't need to know
2. How do they determine your home country, if you have two? For example an American married to an Kiwi, having lived in both recently. Do they ask you to specify?
The way you ask the question seems you know the answer, yes of course you must specify. For reasons beyond QA, the Ministry of the Interior also must know your official nationality. This nationality will be your 'home Country' .. and NO you cannot change it in future. well you can but it would require you to leave the country and start the entire joining process over as a new entry.. and once you have done it once you will know why you don't want that to happen.. not to mention they will have your passport for a very long time.. meaning you cant leave the country, not even on a operational flight (obviously all our flights are international, which requires a valid passport)
also, for those who want to know.. flight pay starts on the successful completion of final line check (FLC)