diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/42943_vmware_vmnic_fix.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/42943_vmware_vmnic_fix.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b01909360ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/42943_vmware_vmnic_fix.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+- VMware handle pnic in proxyswitch (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/42996)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_host_vmnic_facts.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_host_vmnic_facts.py
index 6c2007c666f..c64b8ab701b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_host_vmnic_facts.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_host_vmnic_facts.py
@@ -92,15 +92,15 @@ class HostVmnicMgr(PyVmomi):
                 host_vmnic_facts['all'] = [pnic.device for pnic in nw_config.pnic]
 
                 vswitch_vmnics = []
+                proxy_switch_vmnics = []
                 if nw_config.vswitch:
                     for vswitch in nw_config.vswitch:
                         for vnic in vswitch.spec.bridge.nicDevice:
                             vswitch_vmnics.append(vnic)
 
-                proxy_switch_vmnics = []
-                if nw_config.vswitch:
+                if nw_config.proxySwitch:
                     for proxy_config in nw_config.proxySwitch:
-                        for proxy_nic in proxy_config.spec.bridge.nicDevice:
+                        for proxy_nic in proxy_config.spec.backing.pnicSpec:
                             proxy_switch_vmnics.append(proxy_nic.pnicDevice)
 
                 used_vmics = proxy_switch_vmnics + vswitch_vmnics