Victoria's population growth has surged to more than 100,000 a year for the first time since 2009, as net overseas migration swelled to a four-year high.

The Bureau of Statistics estimates that the state's population grew by 102,000 or 1.82 per cent in the year to March. It was the biggest growth of any state, and in the March quarter the biggest increase from net migration.

Illustration: Ron Tandberg.

The ABS estimates the number of permanent and long-term migrants arriving in Australia rose to more than 500,000 in the year to March, also for the first time since 2009.

Most of them eventually depart, so net overseas migration in the year to March was 238,300. After climbing almost 40 per cent from 172,000 in 2010, this appears to have peaked, with migrant inflows into the resource states slowing as mining construction declines.