How to Get Involved with PCI SSC Training and Community Meetings

Updated

You can get involved with PCI SSC in four main ways: attend a regional Community Meeting, pursue ISA or QSA training (often scheduled alongside those meetings), subscribe to the mailing list or blog for updates, and respond to the Call for Speakers. The official site currently highlights the Europe Community Meeting, ISA/QSA training in Kuala Lumpur alongside the Asia-Pacific Community Meeting, and 2026 Community Meeting registration. All of these are announced and managed through pcisecuritystandards.org, so the site itself is your starting point for dates, registration, and eligibility details.

Training: Becoming an ISA or QSA

The PCI SSC site promotes training that leads to two recognized designations:

  • ISA (Internal Security Assessor) – for employees of eligible organizations who assess their own PCI DSS compliance.
  • QSA (Qualified Security Assessor) – for assessors at qualified security assessment firms.

The site's current example is training in Kuala Lumpur timed to coincide with the Asia-Pacific Community Meeting, which lets participants combine training with community sessions in one trip. The site does not publish prices or detailed eligibility rules on the homepage, so treat the linked "More information" page for each program as the authoritative source before you commit.

Practical steps:

  1. Go to pcisecuritystandards.org and open the training item (for example, "Become an ISA or QSA in Kuala Lumpur").
  2. Read the program requirements and confirm your organization or employer qualifies.
  3. Register through the training portal at training.pcisecuritystandards.org.
  4. Verify your registration and schedule — training dates are tied to specific events, so confirm both.

Common snag: people assume training is open to anyone. ISA and QSA programs have eligibility conditions tied to your role and employer, so check those first rather than booking travel.

Community Meetings

Community Meetings are regional events where the payments industry discusses standards updates and implementation. The site currently features:

Region What the site says
Europe "The Europe Community Meeting is almost here. Register now to secure your spot!"
Asia-Pacific Training in Kuala Lumpur is offered alongside the Asia-Pacific Community Meeting
2026 (all regions) "REGISTRATION OPEN: Mark your calendars and join us at a PCI SSC Community Meeting in 2026!"

To attend: open the meeting announcement on the homepage, follow the registration link, and complete registration before the stated deadline. Because the Europe meeting is described as "almost here," registration windows are time-sensitive — check the current announcement rather than relying on a saved link.

Staying Updated: Mailing List and Blog

Two subscription channels are listed on the site:

  • Mailing list — the site describes it as a way to "receive the latest PCI SSC news, exclusive training opportunities, event updates, and more." Subscribe via the training portal's mailing-list page.
  • PCI Perspectives blog — subscribe at training.pcisecuritystandards.org/subscribe-to-pci-perspectives-blog.

These are the most reliable way to learn about new training cohorts and meeting registration openings before deadlines get close.

Other Ways to Participate

  • Call for Speakers — the site invites you to "sign up for our Call for Speakers notification email list to hear about exciting speaking opportunities at upcoming PCI SSC events." If you have implementation experience to share, this is a low-barrier entry point.
  • Document Library and standards updates — the site's "Search the Document Library" and "Standards Updates & RFCs" sections let you follow revisions (for example, PCI DSS v4.0.1) and comment during request-for-comments periods.
  • Find a Provider or Solution — useful if you are looking for a QSA firm rather than becoming one.

A Realistic Example

Suppose you work in payment security in Europe and want both training and networking. You would: check the Europe Community Meeting announcement and register; separately check whether an ISA/QSA session is scheduled near you (the Kuala Lumpur pairing shows how training and meetings are often co-located); and join the mailing list so the next 2026 meeting opening reaches you directly. That sequence avoids the most common miss — hearing about a meeting after registration has closed.

What the Site Does Not Tell You

The homepage does not list fees, exact eligibility criteria, or session agendas. Those details sit on the individual program and registration pages. Confirm cost and requirements there before making travel or budget commitments.