Civil servants are set to receive an across-the-board pay rise of three percent, backdated to the beginning of April this year.

The Chief Executive in Council on Tuesday approved the move, with the proposal to be tabled to Legco as soon as possible.

The Executive Council said it thoroughly considered the response to the pay rise from government staff, and balanced a number of factors under the adjustment mechanism.

These include the state of Hong Kong's economy, the government's fiscal position, inflation, pay trend indicators and civil service morale.

The Civil Service Bureau said the authorities had to be prudent with the adjustment, given the government's current deficit.

"In the meantime, the vacancy level in the civil service has climbed to 10 percent under a tight labour market. Civil servants of all ranks have shouldered additional responsibilities," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"The economy has recorded actual growth with inflation over the past year. There were also pay rises in private organisations."