The mid-infrared laser has the important application value and broad development prospects in military sensing range, environmental monitoring, atmospheric communication, biotechnology, medical, processing, and other fields because of its spectral coverage over many characteristic lines of molecular absorption. As for luminescence emission from the rare earth ions in chalcogenide glass fiber, it is an effective way to directly obtain mid-infrared lasing in the region of 3-5 μm. The latest progress of rare earth ions doped chalcogenide fibers and the main doping problems of chalcogenide fibers are reviewed, the current challenges in the development of mid-infrared chalcogenide glass fiber are discussed, and the research directions and development trends of the rare earth doped mid-infrared chalcogenide glass fibers are prospected.