Ask HN: How can I move to Canada to work as a Software Engineer?

My wife and I are currently living in the US, but we're considering trying to move to Canada in the near future (next 1-3 years). We're both software engineers, but she can't work right now because of her visa (H4).

We'd like to know more about what the process is like in Canada, and how it compares to the H-1B system in the US. Also, is obtaining permanent residency as daunting as it is in the US?