The childcare sector says a cap on the number of students tertiary institutions are permitted to enrol is making a teacher shortage worse.
Last month's budget authorised a further $70 million to allow more children to receive a pre-school education.
Childcare sector leaders are questioning whether there will be enough teachers for those children.
New Zealand Childcare Association chief executive Nancy Bell says there is a real need for more teacher training places to cope with the surge of people wanting to qualify.
But she says her organisation and other providers of such education have hit their enrolment cap.
The Tertiary Education Commission says the cap on student numbers makes education costs predictable each year but says it is willing to negotiate with training providers if they have confirmed enrolments above their cap.
