The number of IT jobs in the US edged up 0.3% in January from December to almost 5.3 million, reported the TechServe Alliance, an association of IT and engineering staffing companies. Year over year, IT employment in the US rose by 3.86% in January, adding 195,600 IT jobs.

“IT employment grew a respectable 0.3% in January,” said TechServe Alliance CEO Mark Roberts. “While a single month does not establish a trend, I am pleased IT showed some strength as we begin the new year.”

Engineering employment growth edged up 0.1% in January from December to more than 2.5 million jobs. Year over year, the increase remained anemic at 0.74%, representing 18,600 engineering jobs.

“While bullish that demand will increase as the year unfolds, I remain concerned with the rhetoric supporting more restrictive immigration policies for high skilled workers,” Roberts said. “Given the shortage of many IT and engineering skill sets, such policies could limit domestic IT and engineering job growth pushing those jobs overseas — an undesirable outcome for both US-based businesses and workers.”