Ambassador (High Commissioner in Commonwealth missions); Ambassador at large

A diplomat is someone who is appointed by a nation state to represent and protect that nation's interests abroad. The four ranks of diplomats are determined by international law, and include ambassadors, envoys, ministers, and charge d'affaires. In modern diplomacy there are a number of ranks below ambassador. These ranks now rarely show a mission's importance, but rather show the diplomat's seniority within their own nation's diplomatic career ladder. This modern ranking system follows a similar, but not exactly parallel, pattern in different countries, and is as follows:

Ambassador (High Commissioner in Commonwealth missions); Ambassador at large

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  Minister
  
• 
  Minister-Counselor
  
• 
  Counselor
  
• 
  First Secretary
  
• 
  Second Secretary
  
• 
  Third Secretary
  
• 
  Attache
  
• 
  Assistant Attache
  

A diplomat forms and maintains international relations with regards to issues of peace and war, trade and economics, culture, the environment, and human rights, and are also the ones who negotiate treaties and international agreements before they are officially endorsed by any politicians. A diplomat also has the ongoing responsibility of collecting and reporting information that could affect national interests, and is often in a good place to give advice about how the home country should react. He or she should also do their utmost to represent the views of the home government to the government of the country in which they are posted, and convince these governments to act in ways that the home government would prefer. In this way, diplomats are an integral part of the foreign policy formulation process.

Modern diplomacy is very different from what it was, and is still changing. The role of a diplomat is therefore subject to change in the future.

They promote exports to the country where they are stationed, and disseminate information about commercial, economic and industrial conditions and opportunities that exist in their own country.

Diplomats may issue passports to fellow countrymen travelling abroad, grant visas to foreigners who wish to visit their country or issue entry permits to immigrants who wish to settle there. They strive to build up contacts with foreign states to ensure a constant exchange of views and the establishment of mutual trust, and negotiate agreements with other countries.