Teachers with a high level of target language proficiency are believed to be more self-
efficacious and more competent to provide good models of language usage and to
undertake various teaching tasks in the target language effectively. Having a good
command of English is a necessary qualification for successful teachers of English as a
foreign language (EFL). In the Vietnamese teaching and learning context, EFL teachers
are required to have proper professional qualifications, and English proficiency is an
important quality for teaching effectiveness. With the aim to examine teachers’
perceptions towards English proficiency, this descriptive study was conducted with 33
EFL teachers at a center of foreign languages through an online survey. The results
showed that teachers recognized the necessity of having English qualifications and had
positive perceptions towards the English proficiency requirements. The study is
beneficial for both teachers and educational administrators to have an insight into the
importance of language proficiency for teaching quality. Important recommendations for
successful proficiency development were also discussed.