Does studying abroad count as immigration time?

Not if you have been naturalized.

3. After obtaining immigration status, the residence time shall be counted as one day. The period of legal residence in Canada before immigration status is obtained, and two days is counted as one day.

When you apply for naturalization, you will go back four years from the day you submit your application, as long as you have three years (365*3+ 1 day), which is consistent with the time you lived in Canada.

Therefore, in theory, the naturalization application can be submitted at the earliest at the end of the second year after obtaining immigration status.