The glass fiber for an optical amplifier has a matrix glass core, a first glass cladding, and a second glass cladding. The matrix glass core has a composition, in mol %, of Bi2O3, 30-60; SiO2, 0.5-40; B2O3, 0.5-40; Al2O3, 0-30; Ga2O3, 0-20; Ge2O3, 0-25 ; La2O3, 0-15; Nb2O5, 0-10; SnO2, 0-30; alkali metal oxides, 0-40; and Er2O3, 0.05-8. The glass claddings have the same composition as the core, except that a transition metal compound is included as an absorbent. The refraction index of the matrix glass is > about 1.85, the refraction index of the first glass cladding is less than that of the core, and the refraction index of the second glass cladding is higher than that of the first.